


The Wolf

by sunnyskipper



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Dave | Technoblade and Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit are Siblings, Family Bonding, Gen, No Romance, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Techno laughing at Tommy's misery, Werewolf Tommyinnit, Werewolves, and Tubbo, the main plot is focused on tommy and the fam, tubbo is adopted, werewolf dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 58,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27956000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyskipper/pseuds/sunnyskipper
Summary: Werewolves aren't real. They're a silly fairytale, a myth made up to scare little children from staying away from forests where anything could be lurking inside, werewolf or not, there wouldn't be anything good. Tommy remembers Phil used to tell him about the creatures of myth when he was younger as bedtime stories, and he'd always try to act brave and say he isn't scared, when he really is, and Techno would prove that by scaring the living daylights out of him. Years later, Tommy still doesn't believe in such a thing, until Dream and Sapnap come to make a mockery out of him suffering in exile, and they all get a little surprise visit from something that frankly, shouldn't actually exist as far as he's concerned.
Comments: 34
Kudos: 274





	1. A Surprise Visit

Werewolves aren't real, ever since Tommy first heard of them as a bedtime story from Phil, he knew that. Deep down, he knew, but it always used to scare him as a kid, believing that somewhere out there in the wilderness and darkness of the night, lurked a monstrous, hideous beast that could easily tear him limb from limb. Of course, Phil always assured him that he would protect him no matter what, he was his father after all, it was his duty. Even so, he couldn't stop himself from chuckling when Techno would always jumpscare Tommy from behind after he finished telling him his scary stories, and it always worked, too. Thankfully, Tommy isn't one to have nightmares, so even after being told possibly the most scariest story you could tell a seven-year-old right before bed, it never effected him in the slightest once he closed his eyes. He had nothing to fear, they were just a myth that Techno and Wilbur used as an excuse to scare him. Though sometimes, although he would never admit it, there were some nights where he'd hear howling when everyone was fast asleep. He even made sure to check that Techno or Wilbur wasn't awake and pranking him, when the howl sounded so, so close. And then came the scratching, though it could just be the trees against the windows, he could hear something moving outside.

He was a brave boy, he was already seven, he didn't need to run to Phil's side because he got a little scared. He's a brave boy. Or so, he'd like to believe. When the creature howled again, and the scratching became too loud, so loud that he couldn't block it out with his hands or pillow, and even closing his eyes and hiding under the covers didn't help, he reluctantly hurried to his older brother's room. Wilbur was kinder than Techno, who'd laugh in his face and send him back to bed. But that night, he was in such a hurry, and there were no lights on, and his brother's rooms were so close to each other that he accidentally ran into the wrong room. He jumped into Techno's bed, pulling himself under the covers and snuggled close to his brother's side, tears running down his cheeks. It wasn't until morning that he realized his mistake, because to his surprise, hearing his soft sobs, Techno had decided that for just this once, he would act kind to him. Despite that, from that night onwards, whenever Tommy heard scratching on the walls and howls, he'd stay tucked in bed, waiting for it to stop. When Tubbo came into the family, Phil told him the same stories. Tommy wanted to be a good older brother and assure him that he had nothing to fear, even when he sometimes got scared in the middle of the night when the howls could be heard. But to his surprise, Tubbo wasn't scared of the beast of tales at all, despite his young age, he confidently claimed that they weren't real with a smile on his face and a light giggle.

Of course they weren't real, Tommy knew that, he always did. Whenever he heard the noises and sounds from outside, he didn't think of a werewolf, a thing that didn't exist. No, he knew what really caused the sounds, and that's what scared him, not some... made-up creature purposely used to scare him as a bedtime story. As the years went on and Phil stopped telling the scary stories, and bedtime stories all together, the sounds came to a stop and Tommy stopped thinking back to the werewolf, and eventually forgot all about what used to keep him up at night. The discussion of werewolves were hardly ever brought up again afterwards, except for when Techno would poke fun at him, claiming that he had a childhood fear of them, further proving his point by bringing up the time he had accidentally ran into his room. Though his heart would still skip a beat at the mention of them, and rarely he'd flinch and jump awake at night when he hears something from outside, he didn't have a "fear" of something that wasn't real, and he stood by that point. Until this day. It'd only been two days since his exile, and he was already feeling like he'd been isolated away from everyone for... days, weeks even. He still had Ghostbur by his side, yes, but.... he was Ghostbur, and even though he had lost most of his memories from his time alive as Wilbur, Tommy couldn't help but still hold some grudges towards him, but he kept reminding himself that it was Wilbur he was mad at, not Ghostbur. He needed any company he could get, and Ghostbur was... nice, he helped him build a "holiday home", since this is only temporarily, they aren't staying here forever.

One day, they'll return to L'manburg. Things were going alright, he had his little tent, "tnret", and "Logsteadshire". A few people, such as Bad, Sam and Techno came to visit, and just today so did Ranboo and Fundy, who helped him collect what he needed to make an ender chest. And he did just that. Not only that, but Ghostbur gave him a precious gift, a compass that pointed him in the direction of Tubbo, wherever he may be. But of course, good things can't last. He almost forgot he had someone else to deal with, Dream. He'd about had enough of him, but little did that green boy know, he had an ender chest, he had the upper hand; and he couldn't let him find out. So when Dream and Sapnap approached Logstead that night, just when he was about to sleep, he admittedly panicked a little. He hid his ender chest, throwing his new compass inside. Then, he was ready to confront Dream; who he had to admit, was acting a little strange. One day he blows up all his stuff, the next he's acting sickly and unusually nice towards him, but of course not allowing him to return to L'manburg to celebrate the holidays, threatening to kill him if he doesn't obey. But soon, soon he'll defeat him, and return to L'manburg. "Tommy, there you are," Dream greeted as he approached, Sapnap by his side. Tommy couldn't begin to understand why he stayed by him, when he's such a tyrant. He even said that he didn't care about anything except for the discs, because it gave him power. That's all he wants, power, and he isn't going to let him have it.

"Dream." Tommy stepped out of Logstead, Ghostbur floating by his side. He can't hold a grudge against him for acting kind towards everyone, except for Techoblade, and Dream, of all people. Tommy hated both of them, but right now, Dream is his main enemy and yet Ghostbur treats him normally, like he's an old friend, and not the main root of their problems, his problems mainly. If it weren't for him, he wouldn't be stuck in this mess, exiled by Tubbo, his closest friend, he thought of him as a brother ─ he practically is! But Dream manipulated him. And Technoblade, he and Wilbur blew up and wrecked L'manburg, and Wilbur is the one who made Tubbo president... "What do you want?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. Whatever reason Dream has for being kind, trying to manipulate him in some way like he does with everyone, he isn't biting. Instead, he's going to stand his ground, with how Dream has put him through so much already and it's only been two days, he can't imagine what else he would have to put up with. But he chuckled, he chuckled at how he glared, and tried to be intimidating to no avail. Of course, he was just a child against an adult tyrant, who pulled all the strings except for his.

"What's with the hostility? I just wanted to say hello, see what you're up to," Dream said, and tried to step past him and enter Logsteadshire, which caused Tommy to hesitate and think twice before standing in front of him, blocking his path. He told himself not to give and stand tall for himself, but he could feel himself shrink under his gaze, reminding him who was in control with no words spoken. Sapnap on the other hand, instead of greeting Tommy cheerily and acting like his usual self, he was being strangely quiet. Tommy quickly glanced at him to see him standing a short distance away, sword in hand, scanning his surroundings. Like he had something to look out for.

"Hey!" Tommy had allowed himself to be distracted, letting Dream push through and enter Logsteadshire. There's no way he knows of the ender chest or where to look, and yet Tommy's heart beat won't stop racing, he acted without thinking in a panic, even though he stood no chance. "Hey! Get out of here, leave! We don't want you here!" He yelled, running in front of Dream and standing in his path, as if that would stop him. He lowly chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Tommy's spine.

"Oh, Tommy, why do you have to be so defensive for? Are you perhaps hiding something from me? A gift from somebody?" He asked, stepping closer. Tommy's breath hitched, and although he took half a step backwards, he stood his ground and put on a brave face.

"I just don't want you around. Haven't you caused me enough misery?! Huh?! What more do you want from me?!" He raised his voice, taking a step forward he made himself taller, raising his shoulders and glaring at Dream, who chuckled and backed away. Only for Tommy's heart to sink when he pulled out his sword.

"Oh, Tommy, stop treating me like the villain. We're friends!"

"You, you exiled me!"

"No, you're wrong. Tubbo exiled you, and you know why? Because you were being a tyrant, a reckless, selfish kid that put everyone at risk of another war. Remember, they kicked you out to save themselves." As Dream drew closer, Tommy's whole body froze up and his breath hitched, his eyes going wide. His thought process stopped, and he couldn't think, he couldn't act. He glanced down at Dream's sword, and balled his hands into fists. Then, without thinking twice on it, or even really once, he threw himself forward and pushed himself against Dream, forcing him outside of Logstead and drew his own sword, which he raised to deflect Dream's, only to have it knocked out of his hand.

He hissed in pain, holding onto his hand which had a large, bleeding cut. He looked back at Dream, delayed regret coming through. Ghostbur, a ghost that couldn't do anything in a fight, stepped forward. "Dream, wait─"

"Dream!" All heads turned towards the direction of the cry, Sapnap. Who had his sword raised, fighting back against what Tommy assumed was a person at first, but quickly realized his mistake. The "person" was at least seven, eight feet tall and loomed over Sapnap, crushing him under its weight. It didn't even have a sword, but large, hairy arms pressing against Sapnap's sword and succeeding. It's whole body was covered in dark, thick brown fur, and it appeared to almost vaguely resemble a wolf, seeing its tail and legs, but it stood on two feet. The first thing that came to mind after that realization was; a werewolf. Tommy didn't have enough time to prove his thoughts wrong, as Sapnap managed to deflect the large ─ person ─ beast, only to send it Dream's way. Who was in just as much shock as they were, drawing his sword far too late. He sliced at the beast in an upward-motion, but it didn't stop it, as its long, razor sharp claws somehow ripped through his netherite armor, and they could only watch in horror.

"Tommy!" He managed to force the words out, looking over his shoulder at the terrified blonde boy. "Run!" Then, the beast's teeth sunk deep into his arm, and he let out a shrilling, pained cry that could be heard from miles away. Sapnap raced over, only to be sent flying back with one raise of an arm. Dream fought back, and it was hard to tell in the darkness and heat of the moment, but Tommy assumes he must have managed to do some damage as the beast howled in pain and let go. But the damage had already been done, a large bite mark engraved Dream's right arm, along with claw marks lower on his arm and shoulder.

"─Tommy!" He was so lost in the moment, that he hadn't heard Ghostbur calling out his name until right then. Snapping himself out of his thoughts, it was too late. The beast, wiping the blood dripping from its mouth, laid its glowing red eyes on him. Their next target. "Tommy, we need to go, now!" His whole body was trembling, but he forced himself to run and follow Ghostbur. They ran, and ran, leaving Sapnap and Dream long behind, but unfortunately not the man-hungry beast right on their tail.

"Wil! Wilbur, please! Help!" He begged, adrenaline being the only thing keeping him going. Once he stops, even for half a second, he'll lose all his energy and drop dead right there. And what bad luck did he have, that he'd fall right off the edge of a slope. "Wil─" At the last second, Ghostbur reached out and wrapping his arms around Tommy, fully manifested himself. As the two of them rolled down, he shielded Tommy from the damage, but only for so long. Once at the end of the slope, he took out his sword and came face to face with the beast, which had taken more damage from Dream than he thought, and even it couldn't fully prepare itself for the fall. Yet, it was still kicking, and wasn't about to back down. "Stay back!" While Tommy leaned himself up against a tree, opening his eyes and breathing life back into himself, he watched as Ghostbur fought against what he could only describe as something pulled straight out of a nightmare; specifically his. He struggled to stand, stepping on a branch that alerted the beast of him. He didn't have the energy to run, stumbling over his own feet as he turned tail.

"Wil! Wil, help!" He cried, tripping over a rock, he fell to the ground. The moment he turned on his back, the monster was on him. It was so, so much larger than him, he didn't stand a chance, especially not when it caught Dream, of all people off guard. He was doomed, without a doubt. Yet he still fought to get it off of him, yelling and screaming, kicking and drawing out his sword. Its breath reeked, blood and saliva dripping from its mouth. He was covered in it's, and Dream's blood. As it held him down, its sharp claws dug into his shoulders, and tore his clothing. Then, it sunk its teeth into his shoulder, and for a brief moment everything just... stopped. And then the pain hit, and he was screaming again, defending himself with his sword and trying to kick it off of him. He dealt damage to it, but it didn't seem to give up, until Wilbur gave the finishing blow and Tommy kicked it off of him. It took him a couple of moments for his mind to process... everything.

He tried to stand up, but the ground beneath him swayed and the world appeared to spin. Ghostbur caught him before he could collapse, sitting him down against a tree. His mind a haze and his vision growing blurry, Tommy took one glimpse at his wounds and immediately felt nauseous. "Oh, God, Wil... I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"No ─ no, you're not going to die. Techno, I can message Techno and give him our coordinates, and he can come get us, okay?" Tommy didn't have the strength to respond. Why Techno, of all people? But on second thought, he would be able to get here the quickest... what did he do to deserve this, any of this? He doesn't have the faintest clue. Sure, he can act a bit reckless sometimes, and has been told he's an annoyance by quite a few people, but... he doesn't deserve this.

"I-I messaged him, he's on his way. You're going to be okay─" he didn't hear him finish, his words suddenly cutting off there. His lips were still moving, he was still talking, but everything had gone silent. Tommy slowly looked around, and saw the lifeless beast laying a few feet away from him. Is this really going to be how he dies? To an oversized mutt? He can't help but think back to Phil's words, when he was just a child and he was being told the scary story for the first time. 

"It's okay," he cooed, "it's not real." 

Yeah, not real his ass.


	2. Breath of Life

"Come on, we're almost there, it's not far." If you asked Sapnap what he thought of werewolves, he'd laugh before asking if you were being serious. They were a myth, a fairytale he used to be told growing up, but long figured out they weren't real many, many years ago. However, nothing could have prepared him for what he just witnessed, what he and Dream fought and barely survived against. That was no person, or any mob he's ever seen or heard of before, asides from a werewolf; and it had bitten Dream right on his arm, which was still bleeding out even though he wrapped it up in pieces of his own clothing. When Dream and Tommy were having their discussion, he heard sounds coming from somewhere nearby. At first he thought it was a mob, and then perhaps a person trying to spy on them, but then he saw bright red eyes glowing through the darkness, staring right at him. He didn't have time to react before it lunged at him, and all he could do was raise his sword and attempt to fend it off. Not even Dream stood a chance against it.

After the beast flung him back, once he got up, it was gone, and so were Tommy and Ghostbur. A trail of blood leading to them. Maybe he would have investigated, see if Tommy was alright, but he needed to take care of Dream first. If that really had been a real-life werewolf, the fact Dream's been bitten isn't... a good thing. Asides from being knocked back and hitting his head, he got off lucky. Dream, on the other hand... had deep claw marks all around his body, those claws tore through his armor like it was nothing. He needed to get him help, now. However, after the recent events... Dream isn't exactly on anyone's side, heck, even Sapnap isn't completely friends with him anymore. For a multitude of reasons; joining El Rapids, formely known as Mexican L'manberg, and how he was acting like an out of control tyrant, he even claimed that the discs were the only thing he cared about. While he admitted that he still cared for George, the same couldn't be said on said man's behalf, nor towards him. Yet he stayed by his side anyways, like he always had, and he wasn't going to abandon him ─ especially not now.

Though, it meant they only had one other person to depend on, and unfortunately, said person and Dream weren't exactly on good terms last time he checked. Yet, he had no other choice. "George, open up!" He called out, knocking on the door. Dream was taller than him, and heavier with all the netherite armor, yet he was slumped against Sapnap, barely able to walk on his own, dizzy and weak from blood loss. They needed George, now. "George!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" After El Rapids was blown up, courtesy of Dream and others not too long ago, George returned to his fixed-up home in the woods, away from L'manberg, which was a good thing. Footsteps could be heard approaching the door, he clearly was in no rush, despite the panic in Sapnap's breathless voice. The door finally creaked open, to reveal a tired George rubbing his eyes, it was late after all. "What do you want─hey!" Sapnap didn't let him finish, forcing himself through the door. He wishes George had made the house bigger, clearly meant for only one person, but he has made some visible changes since moving back in here. He's not even sure if he has anything to tend to Dream's wounds. He helped Dream sit down at a table, and stepping back, took in all the damage. Not to mention the small trail of blood he left.

"Shit..."

"What's going on? Why is Dream here?!" George asked, stepping forward. He fell silent and his mouth hung open at the gruesome sight of his "friend", struggling to breathe as blood seeped through the piece of fabric tied around his arm. Some of the scratch marks the beast made were bleeding, but they weren't nearly as bad. It took a few seconds for George to process the situation, stumbling back his glasses in his hands fell to the floor. "Dream...? What, what the hell happened Sapnap?!" He's been constantly asking himself that question the entire way here. Werewolves don't exist, they never have... but if they truly don't, then exactly what attacked them back there? Clearly not a person. He's certain if George witnessed it, saw it with his own two eyes, he'd think the exact same thing.

"It, it was a werewolf... we were visiting Tommy and, and it came out of nowhere and Dream got bitten," his voice came out breathless, struggling a little to breathe himself with how far they traveled in so little time. They didn't have time to waste.

"A ─ a what?! Sapnap, werewolves aren't real!" George protested, just like Sapnap knew he would. Sapnap shook his head and cursed under his breath, they didn't have time for this. "Hey!" He forcefully pushed past him, and began searching the cabinets. George glanced at Dream, and followed Sapnap, moving him aside and going on his tip-toes to reach the highest cabinet, he pulled out some bandages and alcohol. Mumbling something under his breath, he and Sapnap hurried back to Dream's side.

"There's no way a werewolf attacked you─"

"George! We can talk about this later!" He regrettably shut his mouth, giving a small nod and Sapnap took off the rest of Dream's armor. Blood was getting all over the chair and floor, it's a miracle he's survived this long, but at the same time he appeared to be on the verge of passing out, forcing himself to stay conscious. If he does end up falling unconscious, they can't be sure he'll wake up. So, wasting no time, Sapnap began tending to his wounds, the bite mark first. "This is going to hurt," he warned, before applying alcohol to the wound. Dream hissed in pain, struggling not to move as the unbearable pain only grew worse. It's teeth had really dug deep into his skin, and tore it apart, it's a surprise he didn't black out right then and there, let alone keep fighting. He pushed back the feeling of nausea and sickness in the pit of his stomach, he had to do this. George gasped when the ghastly wound was revealed, covering his mouth as he resisted the urge to throw up at the mere sight of it.

"Y-you said Tommy was with you," George stuttered out, too quiet for Sapnap to hear when his thoughts were all over the place and he could barely focus.

"What?!" He asked, not daring to pry his eyes away from the wound even for a second. George flinched at how he raised his voice, glancing at Dream before quickly looking away, unable to handle the gruesome sight. The air in the room had suddenly gotten so tense and tight, he found it a little hard to breathe.

"You said you were with Tommy. Is... is he okay?" Sapnap's mind went blank and for a quick second, his hands froze. He thought back to Dream calling out to Tommy, telling him to run, and... he doesn't know what happened next. Tommy and Ghostbur must have ran, but there was a trail of blood and he had a bad feeling the thing followed them, and if Dream couldn't stand a chance against that gigantic, eight feet tall beast... Tommy wouldn't have lasted two seconds.

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ × ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶

All was still, and silent. Surrounded in complete and utter darkness, a sudden gust of cold wind and an almost inaudible voice softly whispering his name snapped him back to reality with a gasp. All of a sudden he was surrounded by light, kicked out of the darkness. His mind going into shock, he went into a panic, his body shaking uncontrollably as his eyes flickered around his surroundings. "Tommy!" Then, he heard a voice just over the sound of his heart beat echoing in his ears, almost deafening. He turned his head, and his heart calmed down at the sight of Wilbur, no, Ghostbur by his side. His body slowly stopped shaking and he let out a halfhearted chuckle, his arms going limp. Then, he looked around, and recognized where he was, he'd been here once before, very recently...

"Tommy! Oh my god, are you okay?" Hearing the panic-striken voice and turning in its direction, he found where the gust of wind came from. Phil stood by the open door, letting the cold air in. The expression he wore was absolutely horrified, as if he had witnessed something mortifying. Tommy tried to move, get up from the chair he was sat in, but the second he moved in the slightest, pain surged all throughout his body and he cried out, wrapping his arms around himself. Everything felt like he'd been lit on fire.

"Don't move, you'll make it worse," a voice he almost didn't recognize spoke up, coming from right beside him. He jumped upon noticing Techno, causing him to let out another pained shout, clutching his right arm which burned with much more pain than he has ever experienced before, and at first it seemed completely fine, not on fire in the slightest. That is until he noticed the blood seeping through... bandages, and without thinking, he unwrapped them. Something he instantly regretted, screaming at the horrific wound on his shoulder. Then, everything came back to him. He remembered what happened, how a giant monster, a werewolf it looked like, attacked Sapnap, then Dream, and lastly chased after him. They managed to kill it, or so that's what it seemed like before he passed out from assumably blood loss, or mere shock. A werewolf, he'd been attacked and... bitten, by a werewolf. Oh, he's been bitten... oh. No, no it couldn't have been a werewolf. He wasn't bitten by some made-up creature of the night, it was... it was something else.

"Techno, what happened?! I came here as fast as I could!" Phil asked, rushing over to Tommy's side, who was on the verge of having another panic attack, though he was calm enough to open his mouth and speak before anyone else could.

"G-Ghostbur and I were attacked! It... it was a bear!" Phil and Techno exchanged looks, and Ghostbur stared at him seeming confused. He looked at all of them, and lastly at Techno who heavily sighed as he rose to his feet, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Tommy, surely you're not that dumb enough to believe it was a bear, of all things." He knows it wasn't a bear, but his mind desperately tried to come up with some kind of logical explanation, even though none of it could be logically explained. 

"Then what was it, huh?! You didn't even see it!"

"Tommy, it was a werewolf." His next words died in his throat, and everything fell silent. He slowly looked at his bleeding wound, and the claw marks all over his body, digging into his skin. It wasn't a bear, it wasn't any mob he's seen or heard of before except for that one thing, and of course it had to be from a bedtime story. When did everyone start seeing these made up creatures as something more than old, scary bedtime stories? He knew for a fact that back then, they didn't believe in the beast in the slightest, definitely not Techno. So what changed? Why is he seemingly the last to find out, in the wost possible way? No one said a word, and letting out a sigh, Techno sat back down and unwrapped the rest the bandages.

"You were attacked by a werewolf, Tommy, and I'm sure you remember enough of the stories to know what happens if you're bitten," he said, reaching over to a box of medical supplies on the floor beside him. No, there's no way that an actual werewolf got to him, because they all know what that means if... He glanced down at the bite, and his heart sank to the bottom of his chest. He let out a nervous chuckle, a strained smile tugging at his lips as he looked around, but both Ghostbur and Phil were staring at him pitiful, and worried. His smile faded, and he lowered his head, seeing his hands start to shake. Just because you get bitten, doesn't automatically mean you... become one of those, right? "Most of the time, yes. I heard there's a cure, but it's almost impossible to get," Techno spoke up.

Tommy opened his mouth, but his words were cut off by a muffled scream when Techno applied alcohol to his wound without warning. Tommy bit down on his hand, tears in the corners of his eyes. "You couldn't have warned me?!" He yelled, weakly punching him and immediately regretting it, hurting himself more than he hurt him.

"Oh, trust me, without that antidote it's going to get a lot worse." He didn't have to rub it in. "You're lucky you survived at all with these wounds, you should thank the guy for keeping you alive." He punched him again, harder than before, ignoring the tinge of pain that followed.

"It's dead." He doesn't know that fo sure, but judging by how Ghostbur didn't speak up about it, he could safely assume it was. At the same time, it meant he couldn't get his revenge. Phil and Techno exchanged looks, but Tommy couldn't tell what they were thinking.

"Well, that makes it easier," Techno mumbled. Phil sighed, and approached Tommy, and hesitated to speak. Tommy hated the guilt he saw in his eyes, already knowing his exact thoughts. 'It's not your fault,' he wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut. Phil went down on one knee, gently placing his hand on his un-injured shoulder, and let out a heavy sigh, biting his lip before finally speaking.

"Don't you worry Tommy, we're going to get you that antidote, okay?" His shoulders relaxed, and Phil wiped away the tears falling from his eyes with a small smile. He stood up, patting him on the head. Tommy opened his mouth to speak, but cut himself off as he experienced more pain, thanks to Techno.

"Do you mind?! At least pretend to be careful!" He snapped, and only received a simple, un-caring shrug.

"If you do end up turning, which I said is most likely, then this'll heal on it's own. Hey, if you do end up staying human, then we should buy you a lottery ticket because there's a higher chance of winning that." Tommy tried to throw a punch at him again, but he moved his injured shoulder, which sent shockwaves of pain through his body that made his body tremble, and Techno at least helped him back up as he started to fall to his knees. He hated this, he hated this so, so much. Technoblade didn't even seem to care in the slightest, while he was understandably freaking out. Sure, he didn't like how Ghostbur and Phil were acting like he was going to die, which was making him feel even worse, but it was better than not caring at all whether he does end up turning or not. Hell, he wasn't even trying to be positive about the option of an antidote, just giving it to him straight. Of course, that's just the kind of person he is.

Ghostbur could have taken him to anyone else, and with that in mind he turned to the said ghost, who seemed to somehow know his exact thoughts, and whispered; "I didn't think anyone else would have so much knowledge on werewolves. And he was the closest."

"He's right, you know, I'm almost certain if you told anyone else that you ran into a werewolf, they wouldn't believe you," Phil said, crossing his arms. Tommy narrowed his eyes at him.

"So then why do you know? They used to be just bedtime stories to you," he asked, and Phil looked away, not even trying to hide it. "Well─hey! Cut it out already!" He'd about had enough, standing up. Only to stumble, and Ghostbur tried to catch him, but Tommy phased straight through him and bumped into a wall, which he used to balance himself. He glared at Techno and Phil, beckoning them not to come any closer. He looked down at his wound and scoffed.

"How am I supposed to know if... I've turned?" Phil and Techno exchanged looks. Techno stood up and sighed, shaking his head.

"It's way too early to tell, we'd have to wait until morning, maybe a little later than that. But Phil and I will start researching the antidote, and if it turns out you don't need it, then good, but the longer we wait the worse it's going to get," he explained. "Stay here with Ghostbur while... Phil and I discuss some things upstairs, okay? Okay, great, and by the way, we're going to need to know where that werewolf is, if it really is dead." Without giving him any time to respond, Techno climbed up the ladder to the next floor, and Phil followed.

"Wait─" Phil paused half-way up the ladder, and frowned at Tommy, with that guilty expression.

"We're going to figure this out, okay Tommy? It's going to be okay," and with that, he went up to the upper floor, leaving Tommy all alone with Ghostbur. He opened his mouth to speak, then balled his hands into fists and stomped his foot on the floor.

"Dammit!" Feeling tears form in the corners of his eyes, he sat down on the floor beside Ghostbur, who floated down. He glanced at his wound, and wiped the tears from his eyes. What did he do to deserve this? If he does... become a hideous beast, then what, is he stuck here until they can find an antidote? And just as he was starting to enjoy his stay at Logsteadshire, his temporary vacation home. At least Dream won't be able to bother him anymore, wherever he is now. He... he got bitten too, didn't he? He can't be quite sure of it, he can't recall everything that happened. It all happened so fast, it's mostly a blur. He shook his head, wiping his eyes again before digging into his pocket, only to find it empty. "Ghostbur..." he trailed off, his friend humming in response and looking to him, meeting his gaze. "I-I think I left my compass, the one leading to Tubbo back at Logsteadshire. I, I need to go get it," he said, and tried to stand, but quickly lost his balance. Ghostbur attempted to reach out his hands and help him, but like every other time, it didn't work out, and he slid back down to the floor.

"It's okay! I can go back and get it, okay? The werewolf didn't attack anything, so everything's fine," he reassured, and Tommy could only slowly nod. Ghostbur smiled, crouching down he rested his hand on top of Tommy's head for a brief moment. In times like this, Tommy just wanted his older brother back, but he had to remind himself Wilbur was long gone, he'd died. He and Ghostbur aren't the same, no matter how similar they look and act sometimes, they're two different people. "Alright, I'll go get it now! I won't be too long, promise."

"G-Ghostbur, wait," Tommy spoke up, but he must've been too quiet. Ghostbur stood up, and headed for the door. 

"Just tell Techno and Phil I went back to Logsteadshire, I'll get you your compass!"

"Ghostbur, wait a second!" He reached out a hand, but was silenced by the door closing behind him. Ghostbur had left him just like that, obviousness to his current feelings. He was lonely... oh, so lonely, even if Techno and Phil were just upstairs, discussing his future, he could just make out the mumbles of their voices. He lowered his head and the tears in his eyes started to come back again, faster than he could wipe them away. 

What did he do to deserve this? Nothing, absolutely nothing. He didn't deserve to be exiled by Tubbo, and he doesn't deserve this, but there's nothing he can do about it. 


	3. Monster

Bad had left a couple of presents for Tommy during the past few days of his exile, though he had only talked with him once when he gifted him a music disc among other things. Their interaction had been cut short due to Dream arriving, and despite his busy schedule, Bad tried to find time to visit Tommy again. Asides from Ghostbur, he didn't have anyone on his side, and although he'd only been in exile for a couple days, it was clearly taking a toll on him. He wasn't there when it happened, when Tubbo... exiled Tommy, but if he had, would he have done something? Perhaps, he could have given him a place in the Badlands. He was only exiled from L'manberg, not banned. Maybe he could have offered Tommy that position, but it seems that he had already began building his own nation; Logstedshire, he recalls. Although right now the only population was him, and Ghostbur, he appeared to stand his ground. It was coming along quite nicely, actually, and Bad had more presents to give, not ones out of pity, and just wanted to check up on the boy. He was taking it rough, and although he made it clear last time he didn't want anyone's "pity", he suffered being all by himself, he needed company.

At long last, Bad arrived on the grounds of Logstedshire. It was daybreak, and from where he stood, the area looked quite nice as the sun rose into the sky. Tommy had clearly been working hard to make a place for himself. However, as Bad opened his mouth to call out to Tommy, his smile turned into a frown at what he saw. He cautiously approached the splatter on the grass, and crouched down to examine. It was blood, without a doubt... and there was an alarming amount of it. As he recalled, Tommy was on his last life. He looked around and found paw prints, but they were much, much larger than any wolf he's ever seen before.

"Tommy...?" He called out, beginning to grow worried. Then, he came across two more things. One; a trail of blood and more paw prints, and kicked up grass, and two; Dream's mask laying on the ground, cracked, with blood splatter. "Tommy!" He yelled, tripping over his own feet as he followed the blood trail, his mind racing as thoughts filled his mind, trying to come piece the clues together. At first, he assumed Dream and Tommy had a fight, and he feared what he'd find at the end of the trail. However to his slight relief, he found neither Dream or Tommy, instead he found something completely different. A wolf... a very large, and dead one. Upon closer inspection, hesitantly approaching the fallen beast, it was different than any wolf he's ever seen, not just by size. His eyes widened at a realization and he stepped back. He tripped over a rock and fell backwards onto the ground, slowly backing away. "I-is that...?" The beast's claws were stained red, with the almost entirety of it's dark brown fur covered in blood ─ but he'd assume it all belonged to it. That is, until he spotted a familiar white and red fabric both laying on the ground in front of it, and caught on its claws. From the corner of his eye, under a large oak tree not far from the wolf, was a large dried pool of blood. "Oh, oh no..." He quickly scrambled to his feet, racing back to Logsted.

"Tommy! If you hear me, give me a sign! Tommy, where are you?!" This couldn't be happening. Surely he'd find the blonde boy asleep within his tent; but he wasn't there. Or he was in the mine; not there either. Lastly, he had to either be in Logsted, which he wasn't, or had just gone to the nether. Yes, he'd... just gone to the nether, or had gone exploring, and Bad had nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. "Tommy!!"

Ranboo and Tubbo were at L'manberg, preparing to decorate for the upcoming holidays. They had a lot to do. After Tommy's exile, the obsidian walls around the nation were coming down, and the place was looking a lot nicer; flourishing, even. Almost as if when Tommy left, things instantly got better, but that just had to be a coincedence. Speaking of the boy, Tubbo... hadn't seen him since that day, though he had visited Logsted with Ghostbur recently, he didn't see Tommy. He assumed that his old friend hated his guts for what he'd done, but since Ghostbur assured him otherwise and handed him a compass named "Your Tommy" that would always point in Tommy's direction no matter what, he had started to think otherwise.

"I wonder how Tommy's doing," Ranboo spoke up, breaking Tubbo out of his thoughts. Ranboo had visited him plenty of times, he'd seen and kept up with the most and every time he left to check up on Tommy, Tubbo found himself wondering if he should maybe accompany him, but always decided against it. He hummed, lowering his head and stared into his empty hand. Usually, he would have his compass pointing to Tommy with him at all times, but just recently, he had lost it to a creeper accident. He'd been meaning to ask Ghostbur for another, but he hadn't seen him around lately.

"You should visit him sometime, have you talked to him at all after exile?" Ranboo asked, and Tubbo slowly rose his head to meet his gaze. He opened his mouth, but found himself unable to speak. He sighed, looking down again and closed his hand, dropping it to his side.

"No, I..." he trailed off, and asked himself 'why?' Because he couldn't think of a proper reason as to why he hasn't. He's been busy as the President and all, but L'manberg had been doing well since his exile, in reality he didn't have much to do as President. However, Dream had told him he was doing an excellent job at keeping L'manberg in check, mentioning how he saw it as it's own, seperate nation with independence now. It made him happy to hear those words, but now..."I..." He slowly raised his head, and spotted a figure in the distance. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at the person heading their way, at quite a fast pace.

"Is that... Bad?" Ranboo questioned, seeing it too, he took a few steps closer. As the person came closer, it was indeed Bad. He was running towards them, for some reason, he seemed almost... in a panic.

"T-Tubbo!" He cried out, panting. Once he finally reached them, he was out of breath, needing a moment to collect himself. His mind raced, heart beating out of his chest, he had came here as fast as he could, and even with the nether portal that lead here, it was a long way and it didn't help how he couldn't calm down.

"Y-yes? What is it, Bad─" alarms were going off, it didn't make sense why Bad, of all people would come to him in such a... state. Before he could finish, he cut himself off when Bad stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder, and stared right into his eyes. Through his pure white eyes, Tubbo could almost see his own reflection. He didn't have the slightest idea what was going on, and yet he was scared, fearing something he didn't know. He grabbed Bad by his shoulders, helping him stand upright. "Bad, calm down, what's the problem?"

"Have you seen Tommy?" Tubbo's next words got caught in his throat. Bad looked like he had just witnessed something... frightening, and he mentioned Tommy. His hands began to tremble, but he had to focus and not let his thoughts drift to the first bad thing. He shook his head, his expression turning serious.

"No, he isn't allowed in L'manberg, remember? He was exiled. Bad, what happened? Did something happen to Tommy?" Bad appeared to slightly hesitate on his next words, either that, or he didn't know how or what to say. He took a step back, and had to calm himself down. "Bad, what happened to Tommy?" Ranboo asked, taking a step forward. Bad raised his head, and the fear-striken look on his face made Tubbo's heart skip a beat, and he prayed in that quick moment that his next words won't be as horrible as he thinks. It wasn't what he expected, at the very least.

"I... I don't know, I can't find him." Instead of being told that Tommy had horribly injured himself, or he was trapped, or he had lost his last life... it was even worse. And he's really wishing he had his compass still on him right about now, it'd make everything so much easier, but without it, they really had no idea where he'd gone. As the three of them made their way to Logstedshire, Tubbo knew, thoughts lingering in the back of his mind warned him that there was something else they were missing. If Tommy had just gone "missing," then Bad had overreacted a bit. There's no way he had just "gone missing", he was somewhere in Logsted, or had just left to hunt down some materials. They didn't find him anywhere in the nether, and they did search for a bit... and when they arrived to Logsted... Tubbo knew Bad had left something out.

The moment he saw the blood, his whole body shut down. He began shaking and almost backed into the nether portal if Ranboo hadn't stopped him, but honestly, he would've rather be somewhere else. Though, he couldn't look away from the sight. So, so much blood... it wasn't new, relatively old by the looks of it. When had someone last visited Tommy?

"And... I found this," Bad spoke up, snapping Tubbo out of his thoughts and in Bad's hand, he saw Dream's broken, blood-stained mask. His mind came to a final conclusion, as he took the mask with shaky hands, and held it tight enough that another small crack formed. Did Dream and Tommy have a fight? Tommy would've wanted to take revenge for being exiled, but he didn't stand a chance against Dream...

"Where's Dream?" His voice came out deep, and his expression had turned dark. His grip on the mask tightened, causing the cracks to spread. Ranboo placed a hand on his shoulder, as his eyes burned through the porcelain, smiling face taunting him. Bad mumbled something that he didn't catch, but continued before Tubbo could ask him to repeat himself.

"There's... there's something else I need to show you." He didn't want to see it, already coming up with multiple possibilities as to what he might have to face, but he followed Ranboo and Bad anyways. He hadn't even noticed the sickening trail of blood until then, and Ranboo came to a halt when they made it to a slope. He hesitated to continue, he and Tommy were close, and whatever was down there... neither of them were going to like it. But, Bad had asked them if they'd seen Tommy, he was missing, which meant that whatever they're going to find, isn't him. He couldn't know for certain what to expect, but every possibility he listed down were far from what they actually found.

"What is that?!" Ranboo had cried out in shock once they came close enough to see the... wolf, he assumed, however the size, and appearance didn't quite match up. He had never seen anything like it before, it resembled a wolf, and yet it also appeared to be a mixture of something else, with its humongous size, it had to be around seven, eight feet tall. Wolves don't grow to that size, and it's legs were unusually long, like it'd stand on two legs instead of four. It took his brain a few moments to process what he saw, the creature before him didn't make sense. He had never seen, or heard of anything like this before, and he's sure that anyone else would agree. Yet, at the same time the figure did... seem, just a little bit familiar, as if he has seen it before, but he couldn't quite place his finger on as to where.

The beast was covered in dried up blood, which appeared to be its own, it had died only recently, a couple hours, or a day ago. His stomach dropped when he raised his gaze and he saw even more blood under a tree, that... could have belonged to the wolf, or whatever it may be, but something told him it did not. "It looks like a werewolf, that thing..." Ranboo mumbled. Tubbo glanced back at the creature, and narrowed his eyes.

"What did you say?"

"Huh?" Ranboo turned his head to look at Tubbo, and he appeared to be struggling to stare at the dead, bloodied-beast which honestly made him sick to his stomach. Yet at the same time it was so... odd and strange, that he couldn't stop staring at it and pointing out it's unusual characteristics that vaguely reminded him of something. "Oh, I... said it kind of looked like a werewolf. You know, the old legends?" Legends... Tubbo knew them of bedtime stories that Phil would use to tell him, but he never believed in it for a second. It just seemed too bizarre, and absolutely ridiculous, they were obviously nothing more than an entertaining fairytale. Though, as he continued to stare at the unusual creature, he had to admit while it didn't resemble any other mobs asides from a wolf only vaguely, it perfectly fit the description of a made-up beast that... might not be made-up, after all.

While connecting the similarities, and there were a lot, his eyes caught onto something attached to the creature's claw. "Tubbo, be careful!" Bad warned as he approached. "It's dead, Bad..." he mumbled. It'd been stabbed, with a sword, quite a few times. With such a large form, it had to be incredibly strong and difficult to take down. He crouched down in front of it, and tore off the piece of fabric hanging onto it's bloodied claw. He recognized it instantly, the stained white and red... "Oh, oh no... don't tell me that's..." and so did Ranboo. He clenched his hand into a fist, holding the torn up fabric. Everything had gone silent, their voices were the only sound.

He gritted his teeth and turned on his heel, heading back up the slope without a word. "Tubbo!" Ranboo would have followed, but he quickly glanced back at Bad, who had gasped, his hands over his mouth. Ranboo regrettably followed his gaze to the creature's mouth, where another piece of fabric had gotten caught between its bloodied, razor-sharp teeth. Climbing up the slope and returning to Logstedshire, Tubbo passed by Tommy's tent, the faint glow of purple particles catching his eye. He walked over to it, and opening it up, fell to his knees. He slowly reached in his hand, and pulled out a compass pointing at him called "Your Tubbo"... and tears began running down his face.

Ranboo followed Bad up the slope, and running around as he looked for Tubbo, slowly approached the tent and found Tubbo on his knees in front of the ender chest. "Tubbo? Tubbo, we have to─" he didn't get to finish. Tubbo stood up, wiping the tears from his eyes and shoved the compass into his pocket. He sniffled, and turned to Ranboo, his eyes narrowed and hands clenched into fists.

"Find Dream, now!"

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ × ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶

Tommy can't be sure how long it's been since Ghostbur left, he got sick of waiting. Hugging his knees to his chest, he rocked back and forth, listening to the faint, inaudible mumbles of Techno and Phil upstairs until he eventually drifted off to sleep. He hadn't gotten a proper amount of sleep in days, ever since he left L'manberg. He couldn't bring himself to close his eyes and rest, staying awake all day, every day started to take a noticeable toll on him. Yet no one spoke up about it, he'd go without noticing the heavy bags under his eyes that had begun to lose their blue, his hair was a complete mess, and he needed a new pair of clothes. 

To his relief, he got a few hours of sleep. It'd been close to the middle of the night when Ghostbur left, a few hours away from morning. Which, it was now. He finally had the chance to rest. Though, a gentle nudge on his shoulder tried to wake him up. He didn't want to wake up and face reality, not yet, maybe if he kept his eyes closed, he could dream of being back in L'manberg... on second thought, he doesn't want that. He slowly cracked open his heavy, tired eyes and it took a few seconds for his blurry vision to adjust, and in front of him he saw Ghostbur, Phil, and Techno. 

"Aw... just, five more minutes," he whined, rubbing his eyes. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around himself, and leaned to the side, only to find nothing there and landed on his side. "Ow!" That's when he realized he wasn't sitting on the floor anymore. Instead, he had fallen off a bed, and landed on the floor. 

"This isn't even funny, it's just sad," Techno sighed, shaking his head. While this time he wasn't blatantly making fun of him to his face, it wasn't far from it. At least, Phil elbowed him, meaning to tell him to knock it off, even though most of the time he would usually chuckle and condone Techno's behaviour, things had snowballed recently and Tommy had reached his lowest point, or was the closest thing to it. 

Mumbling to himself about how much he despised Techno, Tommy weakly pushed himself back up and sat on the edge of the bed. The covers were so silky soft, he found himself subconsciously laying against it, wanting to close his eyes and rest for a few more minutes. There were tears in his old, dirty clothes and although they were inside, they were in a snowy biome, and so he shivered, and pulled himself under the covers. 

"Tommy, I'm sorry," Ghostbur said, and Tommy slowly turned his head to look at him, narrowing his eyes in slight confusion. "Your compass, the one that leads to Tubbo... I couldn't find it anywhere."

What? 

"What do you, what do you mean you couldn't find it?!" He raised his voice, throwing the covers off of him he jumped to his feet, only to immediately lose his balance. Thankfully, Phil managed to catch him. He pushed him away, but struggled to stand on his own, his legs trembling, he had no energy left in his body. "I put it in the ender chest!" Without a doubt, that's where he last had it. Though, Ghostbur stared at him, guilty, and lowered his head.

"I'm sorry, Tommy, I swear it wasn't there. I checked every chest and barrel, but it just... wasn't there." 

No, it can't be. Out of everything, armor, diamonds, he might be a little frustrated losing those things, but he could always get it back one way or another. That compass had been his most valuable possession by far, even though he had kept it in that chest after being told by Dream that Tubbo purposely burnt his, he couldn't bear to let it go. After everything, he couldn't bear to let Tubbo go, whether he still cared about him or not, he still cared for him, his closest friend. That compass had been the only thing keeping him sane, and now, it's gone. 

"Tommy," Techno spoke up, and Tommy, on the verge of falling apart at any given second, looks up at him with desperation. "Phil and I know where to find the antidote, but it'll take us some time to get there. We've already got one of the things, thanks to Ghostbur's help, but we still need another thing to make the antidote. Unfortunately, it's a journey to get there, and the next full moon is a week away. We can't leave you alone with Ghostbur," he explained. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, and couldn't look Tommy in the eyes. "You've really gotten yourself in quite the predicament, and you had to come to me for help."

Tommy gritted his teeth, wrapping his arms tighter around himself. "I don't want to be here either! Out of all people, it had to be you, the source of all my problems!"

Techno seemed taken a back by his sudden shouting, before narrowing his eyes. "Techno, no─" Phil warned, placing a hand on his shoulder, but Techno ignored him, stepping closer and crouching down in front of Tommy, he firmly grabbed onto his chin and tilted his head up. Tommy glared and barred his teeth, digging his nails into Techno's hand until he pulled away, and stood up, taking a step back.

"When will you learn to start taking responsibility for your actions?"

"What, how is this my fault?!"

"This is just your bad luck, but your short temper and impulsive reaction to things are what got you exiled in the first place," Techno spat, and silence filled the room. Tommy opened his mouth to argue back, but nothing came out. His expression softened as the realization dawned on him, and his head fell.

"Just... do whatever, I don't care, and neither do you, so don't pretend," he mumbled, hugging himself tighter into a small ball. Ghostbur's shoulders fell, and the only thing he desired in that moment, was the ability to wrap his arms around Tommy and comfort him, but his hands only phased straight through, making him shiver. He looked up to Phil, a pleading, begging look on his face. Phil opened his mouth to speak, but didn't even get a word out, instead looking to Techno as he turned away and walked off.

"Techno..." he paused at his voice, his back turned to him. Then, he resumed and made his way upstairs, muttering under his breath, and Tommy made out the faint words "idiot, going to get yourself killed".

Phil sighed, shaking his head. "What am I supposed to do with you kids..." he mumbled, rubbing his temple. He looked down at Tommy, and took off his jacket, throwing it over Tommy. When he looked at him, surprised, he was met with a warm smile. Phil crouched down before him, and ran a hand through his tangled, dirty hair, accidentally getting his fingers caught, and for a moment struggled to get his hand freed. "Ahem, you're a mess. You'll be staying with us for now, and you'll need a fresh set of clothes, among other things... everything's going to be okay now, alright? You can have this room, and there are some clothes for you to change into other there," he said, gesturing to a wardrobe.

Tommy had long forgotten how much he craved a father figure; his father. He only reunited with him after he killed Wilbur, but since then they hadn't interacted too much, really only after his banishment. He acted more like an old friend than a father, which he desired now more than ever. He found comfort in his warm blue eyes, that reminded him of his own, or how they used to look. And his bright blonde hair, he'd forgotten how similar they looked, or well, used to.

He threw his arms around Phil, almost knocking him off balance, his whole body tensed up at the sudden contact. Tommy didn't let go, burying his head into his shoulder, arms tightly embracing him. He didn't have to return the embrace, but after being isolated from everyone for so long, he desperately needed this. Just as he began to hesitantly pull away, not wanting the warmth to go away, Phil wrapped his arms around him and him back for another hug. Tommy wishes it could have lasted forever, or that time would've just slowed down, even for a little bit, so they could enjoy this moment forever. But eventually, Phil had to pull away.

He ran a hand through his hair, brushing out the knots and wiped away some of the dirt on his face with his thumb. "It's going to be okay, Tommy. We'll find you that cure, and we don't even know if you need it yet. Who knows, come tomorrow morning, nothing might change." He didn't want to get his hopes up, every time he's down that before, it only made things worse than he could ever imagine. So, he stopped dreaming of a better day.

Phil pulled away, and stood up, adjusting his uniform. "Now, go fix yourself up. But... on second thought, I need to ask you a question. Tommy, was anyone else with you when you were attacked?" His tone suddenly turned all serious, but still soft enough not to intimidate him. However, his eyes were staring straight through him, studying his reaction.

"Actually─" Ghostbur tried to answer, but Tommy interrupted.

"No, there wasn't. It was just me and Ghostbur, and he's a ghost, so you know..." he answered, forcing a straight face and unwavering voice. Phil's focused stare lingered for a few more seconds, anticipating him to break, or slip up, but soon enough he relaxed and gave a nod. Although Tommy avoided Ghostbur's gaze, he could feel his eyes staring through him, questioning why.

"Alright, that's all. Now I just need to─"

"Phil." Just as he took a step back, most likely going to follow after Techno, he paused as Tommy spoke his name. His straight, almost emotionless stare remained, his gaze unwavering.

"Yes, Tommy...?"

He opened his mouth to respond, and for a moment, hesitated. He thought it over in his head before continuing. "Do you... think I can return to L'manberg?"

An eery silence followed, that was uncomfortable for all three. Tommy somewhat regretted speaking up, but he didn't take his eyes off Phil, staring right into his eyes as he stared back. He already knew his answer, there had been no point in asking, but it was too late to take it back now. Phil deeply sighed, running a hand through his hair, a deep frown crossing his mouth, a disappointed look reflected in his eyes.

"Tommy," he said, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, but you can't. It's too dangerous, and didn't Dream say that he'd kill you if you ever stepped foot in L'manberg? It's bad enough that he doesn't know where you are now, and he can't." His tone sounded pitiful, and yet, his eyes were slightly narrowed; holding a warning. Phil knew him all too well, he was kind, yes, but he was the same caring, loving father who killed his own son to finally grant peace across a war-striken country. And now, he'd do whatever it takes to protect his remaining ones. Though they had all drifted apart, they could never truly lose each other, one way or another, they'd always stay connected, and find each other somehow.

And in all honesty, from the bottom of his heart, he despises that.

But at the same time, he knows there's nothing he can do against it. Wilbur died, Techno is a traitor, Tubbo has become independent as the President, no longer needing anyone and him... he's not sure what he's doing, asides from crumbling to pieces, falling apart slowly, but already halfway there. Once, he had a vision, a dream. He had his family, he had L'manberg, and Wilbur... but then one by one, he lost all redeeming qualities in his life until he only had himself. And now, he's afraid it's too late to piece them all back together. They might have used to be a happy family, at some point, but as time flew by, they all changed and grew apart, and now they were puzzle pieces that no longer went together.

It's a sad truth, but he came to accept it long ago.

"Right..." Phil gave him another hug, but this one didn't feel the same. It didn't carry the warmth and comfort from before, that filled Tommy with life again, after so long of suffering from a hollow heart. This time, he's the one who took a step back and pulled away.

"We'll get through this. You haven't shown any signs yet, so that's a good thing." Tommy didn't answer, he just kept his head low, and listened to his words. He didn't move when he moved a hand on top of his head, and didn't say a word when he was asked to take off his shirt so he could take a look at his wound. His body was covered in scars, battle wounds from the war, and a new collection of fresh ones from his time in exile. With no armor, he'd gone through a lot... The bandages were still tightly wrapped around his shoulder and arm, heavily stained with blood. He didn't want to look, he didn't want to see what hid underneath, with two possible outcomes. 

When Phil reached out to start unwrapping the bandages, Tommy flinched and pulled away. He was too afraid to face the truth, and see if he had really become one of those... monsters.

"It's alright... we'll take a look at it later, then," he said just above a whisper, taking a step back. Tommy hesitantly slipped his wrecked, torn shirt back on, but paused when Phil cleared his throat. He looked towards the wardrobe, and gulped. His shirt could barely even be considered that now, instead just some rags. So, he approached the wardrobe and his heart sank at what he found inside. 

"What do you say? Want to try it on?" Phil asked, standing behind him with a hand on his shoulder. Tommy pulled out one of the outfits... a uniform, of the antarctic empire, the same as what Phil and Techno wore. A beautiful, icy blue, and it seemed to be his size. Like they'd, or at least Phil, had been waiting for this moment to come. The fabric was so soft, it'd keep him safe from the cold. "It used to belong to Techno, when he was around your age. 

Techno, huh. It seemed relatively new, however, no tears or anything. In the course of many years, the colour remained bright and he would have assumed it to be brand new. "I'll leave you be, I'll be downstairs if you need me," Phil said, ruffling his hair before pulling away. Tommy's eyes remained on the uniform as Phil made his way down the ladder without another word. Ghostbur, however remained by his side, and they stood in silence for what felt like minutes, but might have just been a couple of seconds. It pained Ghostbur, to see Tommy like this. All he recalled of him were happy moments, from their childhood, and gaining independence.

It didn't make sense, the coldness. From what he remembered, they were a happy family. He and Techno would always tease Tommy, but it was all in good fun. And then Tubbo came along, and the five of them only grew closer. Sure, Techno began drifting off, going off on his own... and then Phil left, too, but that didn't mean they didn't still love each other, they were still close. So... when did they all grow so distant?

"Are you going to try it on? I think it'll look good on you, Tommy─"

"Ghostbur, you'd take me to L'manberg, right?"

Ghostbur stared at him, dumbfounded. Phil had just told him no, going to L'manberg was too dangerous. If he really did... become a werewolf, then he had to stay here, away from everyone, for his own safety and theirs. Although he didn't want to think about that outcome, he would much rather think positive, there was still a chance that he'd remain human. He had a place here, too, with his family. He could finally live with them again, he was safe here, from Dream, from mobs... everything, and everyone. "But Tommy, Techno and Phil are going to find you an antidote─"

"Ghostbur, is that a yes or no?"


	4. The Mystic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if I'm uploading new chapters too fast. I have ideas, I write them down, and usually finish a chapter within 1-2 days.

It was all coming back to him now, the stories Phil would tell. Techno and Wilbur were older than him and Tommy, they weren't aftaid in the slightest, really, the only one it seemed to affect had been Tommy. Though he'd try to hide his cowardice, and act brave in front of Tubbo, like a good older brother, and Tubbo pretended not to see. Tommy had been around ten when they first met, and he had mostly lost his fear of the mythical creature, but Tubbo still saw when he'd jump at the sound of tree branches scraping across the windows, resembling claws, and his whole body would freeze up when the wind howled. Techno and Wilbur often scared Tommy by doing things such as mimicking those frightening sounds, and just creeping up behind him. And it worked, for a split moment of not knowing the culprits were only his brothers, Tommy would be genuinely afraid, and Tubbo seemed to be the only one to take pity. He seemed actually scared, after all, until he'd realize it was only a prank, and would yell, and chase after his two brothers, flinging his arms around and whacking them with either his small hands, or the wooden sword Techno and Wilbur sparred with.

As the years went by and Tommy grew older, Tubbo noticed how his fear faded. Of course it would have, he had grown more mature ( kind of ) and knew that werewolves weren't real, he had gotten over his fear. There were still moments when he'd flinch, hearing what sounded like a howl, and from the ages of seven to eleven, he had a fear of large dogs. That eventually went away, too, though. Tubbo had long forgotten about the tales of a ferocious beast, they weren't real, and they hadn't been mentioned to him in so long. They weren't worth remembering, either, but now, it was all coming back to him. The beast they found resembled a disfigured wolf at best, and he isn't about to start believing in some fairytale, especially in such a serious situation.

It had just been a large, weirdly figured wolf... that's all, although that didn't sit quite right with him, while Ranboo and Bad noticed the similarities, too. They didn't want to admit it, now wasn't the time, but at the same time they couldn't ignore it. What they knew for certain, is that the "wolf" had came in contact with Tommy, and at least some of that blood belonged to him. They didn't want to think about that possibility for a second, but they had evidence; the fabric, which had been torn off his signature red and white shirt. He had no other clothes. As for Dream's mask they found... it helped piece together a possible answer. This oversized wolf had attacked both Dream and Tommy, but that's all they knew. Neither of them were anywhere to be found, and all three of them searched for a good amount of time. If they were somewhere around, they would have been found. The land was vast, which meant that they could be anywhere, but with so much blood splattered... they couldn't have gone far. Though they don't know the extent of their injuries. Dream could be perfectly fine, asides from losing his mask, whereas Tommy... Tubbo didn't want to assume the worst, but the fabric, the blood, he must have suffered at least a bit. Which meant that they had to find him, and soon. They couldn't know for certain when it had occured, only assuming it had happened sometime yesterday, most likely at night.

If only someone had been there, but Dream was... and alongside Techno, he's one of the most strongest, talented people. He must've killed the wolf, and then took Tommy somewhere, fixing up his wounds. Yeah, Tubbo liked that option, it reassured him. They're most likely together, but they still have no idea where they are. Eventually they returned to L'manberg, certain that there was no more evidence to be found. They were at a dead end, if only he still had his compass, then finding Tommy would be no challenge. He could ask Ghostbur for another one, he should. That's his plan, return to L'manberg, find Ghostbur, get another compass although it might take a while, and then it'll lead them straight to Tommy and Dream.

The only problem; Ghostbur was nowhere to be seen. He's a ghost with invisibility potions, they could easily walk straight past him. "We need to find Ghostbur, he's the only one who can help us find Tommy," Tubbo said, turning to Ranboo and Bad, who were both still a bit shaken up, and really, who wouldn't be. "Split up for now, if you find him, bring him back here, okay?" They nodded. Then, they split up, and began calling out to the ghost. They had no time to waste. Once they were both out of his sight, he almost immediately lost his composure. His legs gave in, and he leaned against the wall of a building, releasing a shaky sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. He pulled out Tommy's compass, which pointed at him. He held it close to his chest. "Don't worry, Tommy, we'll find you," he whispered, slipping it back into his pocket. He had to stay strong, Tommy needs him.

"Ghostbur! Where are you? This is a serious matter, and I need your help!" He began calling out to him, wandering through L'manberg. He had to be around here somewhere, where else would he be? "Ghostbur!" He blended in quite easily to his surroundings, but he had to come out upon hearing his name. But as minutes passed, with no sign of him, Tubbo hoped that Ranboo or Bad had better luck, and when he returns, Ghostbur will be with him. But a thought in the back of his mind, and a sickly feeling in his stomach told him otherwise.

"Hey, Tubbo!" Quackity's voice had been the last person he expected to hear. Nonetheless, turning around to face the male in the distance, waving to get his attention, Tubbo sprinted over to his side, startling him a bit and causing him to step back. "Uh, I─"

"Quackity, this is very important, have you seen Ghostbur?" Tubbo didn't give him a chance to finish, standing a little too close in his personal space. Quackity stepped back, a sheepish look on his face as he stared at Tubbo, visibly confused and for a moment, forgetting his words.

"Uh, no... I haven't really seen, or talked to him ever since he followed Tommy with Dream. Why? What'd he do?" He asked. He'd been busy working on Mexican L'manberg, now referred to as El Rapids. He'd been working non-stop rebuilding it, and fixing it up after what Dream and his goons did to it. But at the very least, in the end they had gained independence. Tubbo's shoulders fell, and let out a long, heavy sigh. No matter, surely someone else has to have seen him recently. "Actually, I was wondering if you've seen Sapnap or George? I thought George fell asleep again, but I haven't seen Sapnap around, and they're supposed to be helping me with El Rapids," Quackity asked. He had been searching L'manberg for either of them, but he had yet to come across them. They both agreed to help him and Karl with building, and he could understand why George didn't show up, having a bad habit of sleeping in, but Sapnap didn't make much sense.

Tubbo thought back to the last time he had seen either of them, which had been some time ago. He shook his head, scratching the back of his neck. "No, sorry, I haven't seen them," he answered, and Quackity let out a long, annoyed groan, muttering "great" under his breath.

"Right, thanks. They have to be around here somewhere. Catch you later, Tubbo," with that, he decided to head off and continue his search for just a bit longer. He waved goodbye, walking past Tubbo. He was bound to catch them eventually, and when he does, they better have a good reason for not showing up. "Hey, Quackity?" Though, he slowed to a stop at Tubbo's voice. He hummed, glancing over his shoulder back at Tubbo, who seemed... nervous, and just "off" for some reason, but he wasn't sure why. "Have you seen Dream today? Maybe yesterday?"

Quackity narrowed his eyes, asking himself why Tubbo would be looking for Dream. He shrugged his shoulders, "not since he blew up El Rapids and we gained independence, why?" He asked, and Tubbo seemed to hesitate for a moment. A few times, actually, wanting to answer, but the words just wouldn't come out. It probably wasn't anything too important, but he had a strange gut feeling, waiting for Tubbo to finally speak up. He fumbled with his hands, and his fingertips were stained red, just a bit.

"It's... I..."

"Well, spit it out Tubbo, what's going on?" Quackity asked with a light chuckle, turning around to face him. Tubbo lowered his head, closing his mouth and biting his bottom lip. Then, he appeared to speak, his lips moving, but Quackity didn't hear a word. "Uh, can you say that again? And speak up, I didn't─"

"Tommy and Dream went missing. There's a lot of blood, t-this giant wolf, thingy and... I don't know what to do, Quackity. Please, help me, find Ghostbur."

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ × ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶

The sun shined in through the windows, shining directly onto Dream's face. He cracked his eyes open, blinded by the light he felt around for his mask, but couldn't find it. Right, that beast had knocked it right off his face, and Sapnap wouldn't have picked it up. It probably broke, anyways, and he had a collection of them back home. He slowly sat up, and pain shot through his body. He held back a shout, grabbing onto his arm. He slowly unwrapped the bandages, and he held his breath. 

His arm, which last night had been bleeding profusely, with a deep bite mark and missing flesh, had completely healed itself within a couple of hours. Not even days rest would give that effect, or weeks, it would have taken months and even then it'd leave a massive scar. Yet, it'd been a miracle, like last night's occurence had been nothing more than a dream. He knew that wasn't true, though, because he recognized his surroundings as George's cottage house, and the memories of yesterday were burned into his brain. 

He'd been bitten by a werewolf, no doubt. He knew they existed, although many only see them as nothing more than a fairytale. However, he's never actually encountered one before, didn't think he ever would around here. He's just been proven wrong, and it's still out there... after it attacked him, it ran after Tommy. Down a slope, and who knows what happened afterwards. Actually, he already has an idea of went down, and it's not pretty.

He was on his last life, too.

He needed to worry about himself, though. While most would be overjoyed to suddenly heal over night with no side effects, there'd been one massive consequence. This only meant one thing, and just when he thought his luck would pull through and save him from... this result, it looks like Lady Luck has turned her back on him.

He sighed, pulling off the rest of the bandages and letting them fall to the ground. He looked around, and found George and Sapnap both fast asleep on opposite sides of the house. Although he assumed it was around early afternoon, those two had stayed up into the late hours of the night doing whatever they could to help him, and all for nothing. It's a good thing he woke up when they're still fast asleep; he can leave without any interventions. 

He still had his items on him, so he was good to go. He chose to do just that, making his way towards the door, but as he reached out for the doorknob, a hand grabbed onto his wrist. He turned his head and narrowed his eyes at Sapnap, pulling away. Again, he attempted to leave, but this time, George's tired voice stopped him.

"Dream...? What's going on?" He asked, slowly sitting up and rubbing his eyes. His goggles fell from his head and he squinted his eyes at Dream standing by the door. Then, everything from last night came back to him like a hangover, and he stumbled to his feet. "Hey, you can't leave!" He insisted, quickly walking over. Though he stopped a few steps away, catching his breath at the nasty, icy cold glare that Dream sent him. 

"He's right," Sapnap said. Dream slowly turned his head to meet his gaze, and the two of them glared at each other. Dream scoffed, and once more tried to walk out the door, but Sapnap grabbed him by his wrist again, only to be easily overpowered. He quickly ran in front of the door and stretched out his arm, blocking his path. "You can't leave, you still need to recover─"

Dream interrupted with a low, dark chuckle. "No, I don't." He rolled up his sleeve to reveal... nothing. The bandages were removed, and George and Sapnap were at a loss for words at not even a hint of a scar. A deep, grotesque injury had been right there on his arm just last night, so bad that he could have bled out, and almost lost consciousness. And yet, there was no proof of it ever being there. At first, Sapnap scrambled his brains for answers, searching for a logical explanation... and then it hit him.

Dream watched as the look of horror spread across his face, whereas George still didn't get it, hesitantly taking a step towards Dream and reaching out his hand. "Dream, what..." he once again froze when Dream chuckled, and glanced over his shoulder at him. There was something... different about him. He grinned, and the teeth poking out were razor sharp, seemingly able to slice skin just from a touch. His eyes were wild, his pupil had changed a little upon closer inspection, half in between a human's and a cat's. It caught George like a deer in headlights, frozen in place. 

He seemed like a completely different person. Dream fully turned around to face him, and it snapped George out of his thoughts, backing up into the wall as Dream approached. He couldn't look away from his eyes, a beautiful dark green that were almost always hidden behind a mask, he often found himself lost in them whenever he got the chance to see them. Now, on the other hand, they were mixed with a hint of amber around the ring of his iris. 

"Don't you get it, George? I've turned. I'm a monster now, a ferocious beast," he laughed, raising his arms. He opened his mouth wider, exposing more of his teeth that had definitely grown much sharper. His eyes studied George's figure as he stood there frozen against the wall, trapped into a corner. His shoulders raised, making himself smaller, there were undeniable fear in his wide eyes. Dream closed his mouth, and took a step back. His eyes landed on one of his spare masks sitting on a windowsill, and he took it, slipping it on. As he turned his back to George, another new feature became visible, his nails that were usually kept short, had grown out and resembled claws. 

"Now, I'll be taking my leave. The next full moon is a week away, so I'll be fine," he spoke casually as he approached the door, where Sapnap still stood, blocking his exit. His eyes were hidden, but Sapnap could feel his intense gaze, his eyes glaring down at him. It didn't make sense, why he'd stand his ground, instead of just letting him go. That's what he wanted, correct? He had made it clear that the only thing he truly cared about were Tommy's discs, nothing more. Yet he still stood by his side up until now, saving him when he could have just left him there to fend for himself. He could have handled that mangy mutt, maybe even saved Tommy. 

"Then stay here for the next week." Dream swore he had misheard Sapnap, either that or his friend wasn't thinking first before opening his mouth. He knows how ridiculous he sounded, right? "You said the next full moon isn't until one week, so there's no reason why you can't stay here until then. Right?" Dream narrowed his eyes at him, balling his hands into tight fists. He has to know how stupid he sounds.

"You're kidding," he laughed. "There's no reason for me to stay," he sneered, stepping closer, he stared down at him. He'd always been tall, but is it just him, or had he gotten even taller? Although there was a visible moment of hesitance as Sapnap's face flickered to one of surprise and slight fear, it turned serious and he continued to stand his ground, making himself taller.

"There's no reason for you to leave, either."

"Alright then, we'll ask George, it's his house after all. George, you want me out of your house, right?" 

George had been unprepared for the question, unable to think straight, his thoughts were all over the place. He snapped out of it to see Sapnap and Dream looking at him, awaiting an answer he didn't have. "Uhm, yes ─ Wait, no!" The words just slipped out, he hadn't really meant it. "No! I didn't mean it!"

"George..." Sapnap sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Dream knew he'd slip up, it's why he asked. 

"Well, you heard him, I'm not wanted here." 

He was starting to get on his nerves. "Dream, shut up, you are staying here!" He raised his voice, refusing to step away. It doesn't matter if he supposedly couldn't care less about him, he cares about him, he always has. He's tried to break things off entirely, but he continuously thought back to their friendship, and refused to believe it'd all been fake. There's simply no way that he lied about every single thing, saying that they were his best friends with a smile on his face. He may want them to believe that, and for some time he might have, but even so, if he steps out that door, he's gone. They both know that. "Dream!"

So why won't he listen? Dream grabbed a fistful of his shirt and lifted him off the ground, bringing him to eye-level. He had definitely gotten taller, and stronger, too. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

Now he had really gotten on his nerves. Sapnap glared daggers at him, holding onto the hand holding him up with both hands. "Dream! Put him down! What are you doing?!" George cried out in alarm, but stood still with now clue what to do. Sapnap glanced at him, then back at Dream. 

"I'm sure." Then, Dream's grip on him suddenly let go and he fell to the floor with a loud thud. He kicked his leg, "did you have to?"

Dream crouched down in front of him, lifting up his mask, he snickered. "Yeah, I did," he said, and helped him back up. Sapnap thought he almost yanked his arm out of its socket, he knew werewolves were supposed to be extremely strong, especially the one they faced, but still... "I'll give in and stay, for a bit. But when the full moon gets too close, I'm gone, got it?"

"Got it..." one week. What was supposed to happen afterwards? This feels like some kind of weird fever dream, it isn't real. Unfortunately, it is. He's starting to wish he knew more about werewolves, asides from just knowing they were a made-up creature, which isn't even true as he had the fortune of discovering. He'd just been bitten last night, but it'd already taken affect; he's changed. He tried to save him, he really did... but that thing took him out with one flick, like a bug. 

They got him to stay, great, but now they're left in silence, contemplating what they're going to do much, and there isn't much. George and him were meant to help out Quackity and Karl with El Rapids today. A reasonable excuse for George is that he fell asleep, but as for him? Saying he simply forgot might not be enough, but what would he have to be suspicious of? Nothing, but if Dream really is going to be staying here, then they're going to miss out on a few more things, which will definitely raise suspicion. There's no harm in leaving Dream by himself, but...

"Is there, like, a way to get you back?" George asked after a prolonged period of silence. Sapnap and Dream turned to him, and he almost regretted speaking up. "What? I take that as a no?" This bizarre situation still needed getting used to, he could hardly believe it himself. A werewolf, an actual werewolf... if Dream's wound hadn't miraculously healed, he would've thought that they'd been attacked by something completely different, something that actually exists, and the darkness and adrenaline rush had just made them think otherwise.

To his surprise, Dream laughed. As if he had just asked a stupid question and made a fool of himself. George crossed his arms and scoffed, "well, sorry for trying to come up with a way to help!"

Dream wore a smile, despite the seriousness of their situation. He shook his head, "no, no. There... is an antidote, actually," he said, but for some reason he didn't sound hopeful, but his smile remained. However, his eyes were hollow. Sapnap and George exchanged looks, and Sapnap stepped forward, warily placing his hand on Dream's shoulder. 

"Okay... so then what is it?" 

He didn't like the look Dream gave him, what his smile implied. He pulled down his mask and stepped back, glancing at both of them. His hands in his pockets, he chuckled, his shoulders moving as he laughed. Whereas George and Sapnap eyed each other anxiously. "Dream..." they weren't going to like his answer, were they. 

The fear in their hearts only grew as his grin did. "Well, first of all, you need the heart of the wolf that bit you, and who knows where it ran off to. Could be loong gone by now, and we have no way to track it." Sapnap flinched at his words, his casual tone fading as his voice grew deeper, and his grin began to grow smaller. "Second of all, you need wolfsbane, a hell of a lot of it, and it's not easy to get. It only grows in certain areas, which by the way, is a long journey from here. It'd take you days, maybe even a week." 

So, luck wasn't on their side. They don't really have any way to find the werewolf again, and as for the wolfsbane, they can't just go off on an expedition without a reason, especially when Quackity needs them. It hasn't even been one day yet, and they're pushing their luck. If others, especially Quackity find out about Dream's situation after how much he's done, as a tyrant who only wants power... everyone will turn against him. Sapnap and George are his only hope, but he tried to throw them away, too.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention, it only works on a full moon. So, unless I get the hang of this... thing, and you get those two things, I'm going to be stuck like this for quite a while."

Okay, they're actually screwed. He'd like to say some encouraging words, like "we'll find a way" or something along those lines, but really, this couldn't have gotten any worse. Their only stroke of luck is that they still have time before the next full moon, but they could do with a lot more. They aren't prepared in the slightest for when that night comes, letting Dream go would have been the better option. That's why he wore a smile, and that glint in his eye, to spite them. But they weren't going to give up now, they made their decision, and they're going to stick with it with no regrets. 

He reached out a hand, sitting it on Dream's shoulder, who looked down at him, raising a brow behind his mask. "Hey, we're going to hunt down that beast and get you back to normal, alright? Whatever it takes."

Dream couldn't resist a grin spreading across his face, and he chuckled. He leaned his head back and looked to George, who slightly tensed up, before nodding. "Right..." though it was obvious his thoughts were elsewhere, as his eyes drifted away. 

Dream turned back to Sapnap, his grin fading a little as he took a step back, and let out a sigh. "Alright then... fine, if you actually think you can do it. But remember, full moon, I'm out of here."

One week isn't enough time at all, but they've got to work with what they've got. And their first task; tracking down that werewolf.

Hours went by, and the daylight began to fade. The sun eventually fell, and the moon rose into the sky, bringing with it the night and the stars. It granted moonlight to travelers, though not much. A cold wind blew, howling. The majority of residents of L'manberg were heading inside as the day came to an end, lights illuminating the area. Around this time, Tubbo would be home, resting up and preparirng himself for another day of Presidency, but not tonight. Instead he stood outside in the freezing cold, Tommy's compass in his hand. Hours had gone by, and yet still no sign of Ghostbur. Perhaps he had followed Tommy to wherever he is now, and so, Tubbo could only hope he was keeping him safe.

"Come home safe, Tommy, please," he whispered, clutching the compass tight with a shaky hand. He let out a sigh, his shoulders falling. He slipped the compass back into his pocket, and turned away, making his way back home. The wind grew stronger with every passing minute, the howling growing louder he could almost mistake it for a wolf. His thoughts went back to the creature he'd seen, the image burned into his mind. If Tommy hadn't been exiled, he wouldn't be out there all alone, and become prey to a monstrous beast. In the end, it all led back to him, and his decision. With Ghostbur not around, he couldn't make a new compass, he couldn't find Tommy... he had to find another way. There had to be some method. Whatever it took, he'd find him again, and finally bring him home where he belongs. He should have never left in the first place. 

He can't stop thinking back to blood, all the blood... he had to be okay, though, surely. Some of it has to be the wolf's, and possibly Dream's... but he couldn't calm down, his heart beat beginning to kick up as thoughts ran through his head, overwhelming him. He had to be okay, he had to. He would never forgive himself if he wasn't. He must've suffered quite the severe wound(s) after the attack, but if Dream and Ghostbur are with him, then he has nothing to worry about... except for everything. Absolutely everything, because he knows nothing at all for certain. They could be anywhere, and he has no way of tracking them down.

And it goddamn sucks.

He can't focus right now, he needs rest, and tomorrow he'll start making plans first thing in the morning. He'll have everyone help, they couldn't have gone far.

"Tubbo...?"

He swore he heard a voice, but it'd been overshadowed by the harsh wind. He paused, and listened for it again. A few seconds passed, and he didn't hear it again, so he continued, only to come to a halt a couple seconds later. He whipped his head around, heart about to leap right out of his chest. He couldn't believe it, he had to be hallucinating, without a doubt... but...

"T-Tommy...?"


	5. And if it kills me, it'll kill me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going to start adding the songs titles are inspired by. This one;  
> Coyote - Mako

"Ghostbur, is that a yes or no?"

Taken back by Tommy's words, Ghostbur didn't know what to say. Yes, Dream might be out of commission for now, although they don't know for sure what happened to him, and this might be his only chance to reunite with his friends at L'manberg... but it didn't feel right. Phil and Techno were offering him a place to stay, they could be a family again, didn't he want that? Apparently not. They've all been through a lot, separated throughout the years... but had it really gone this far? 

"Tommy, please. You're much safer here, at least wait until, until─"

"Until what, Ghostbur?"

"Until we know for certain if you've turned or not, Tommy! I know you want to see Tubbo again, but you'll only be putting him, and everyone in danger!" He snapped. He raised his voice, and it caused Tommy to stumble back, caught off guard by the sudden change in his nature. His expression quickly softened as Tommy backed away, and he sighed. "You know how close the full moon is, and if you do end up turning... Techno and Phil are working on retrieving the antidote, the best thing is to stay here where they can help you." 

Leaving would do nothing good, especially if it turns out he's turned. They don't know yet, Phil backed out of checking. They were all understandably nervous about the results, but like Phil had said, they're going to get through this, together. They can't do that if they separate, so, Tommy needs to stay put, whether he wants to or not. Yet, he could see the desperation reflected in his faded blue eyes. He's spent countless days alone, not even Ghostbur was by his side all the time. He had nobody left to depend on, but now that's changed, he has his family. So why won't he accept their help? It's for his own good, after all.

"Tommy, please. We need to keep you, and everyone else safe..." they couldn't take any risks, and he highly doubts they'd even be able to sneak away with Techno and Phil in the house. Who won't let him step foot outside the house no matter how much he begs or argues. They won't budge, but him, on the other hand...

"Fine, I'll go on my own, then," Tommy muttered bitterly, turning away, hanging the outfit back in the wardrobe. He needed it, though, especially if he's planning on going out in the cold. Dressed like that, with multiple rips and tears in his clothes, especially after what the werewolf did to him, basically exposing his entire right shoulder, he'd freeze to death within minutes. Techno had to wrap him in his coat like a blanket bringing him here. Ghostbur can remember the horrified look on his face when he finally located the two, Ghostbur barely got the chance to explain as Techno wasted no time covering Tommy, carrying him in his arms and hopped onto his horse. He took one look at that wretched beast, and said something about them having to come back. Then, he took off with Ghostbur floating by his side. The entire journey there, Techno was in a constant state of panic, it didn't suit him at all. He kept muttering "don't give in, Tommy, keep fighting, keep fighting" even though Tommy was out cold.

If Tommy leaves, Techno's desperate attempt to save him would surely be in vain. "Tommy, no, you can't," Ghostbur said sternly, reaching out his hand to grab Tommy's wrist, only for Tommy to spare one glance at him with narrowed eyes, and walked straight past him as his hand phased through. He was determined, he couldn't blame him. Now was his only chance to return home, he wasn't just going to let it slip by. Maybe he can possibly help convince Techno and or Phil to let him take just one, quick visit. But then Ghostbur recalled the two mentioning how difficult getting the antidote is going to be, the wolfsbane, and one of them would have to take a long trip in order to get it. 

They already have the other item they need. When out to find Tommy's compass back at Logsted, Techno came along and asked him to lead him to the werewolf. Whilst he searched for the compass... Techno took care of retrieving one of the items necessary in order for the antidote to work. When Ghostbur came out of Logsted without the compass, he found Techno heading in his direction with his hands, and sword covered in blood, and a satchel that also had a bit of blood over it. He had said something about "bad timing" and that he should have collected... the heart the first time they were here, but he was in too much of a rush. 

Asides from the heart, and wolfsbane, Ghostbur didn't know the exact details of the antidote, or how it was supposed to work. He only knew that finding the wolfsbane isn't the hardest part. 

"Ghostbur, come on. This is my only chance, if I get to see them for just a day, even a couple of minutes I can be back at L'manberg. Just a couple of hours, please, can't I just see my friends again?" He should say no, he should shut him down like Techno and Phil would without a second thought. Yet he's struggling to do so, he's hesitating as Tommy gives him this pleadful look, tears in his eyes which he can't tell if he's faking them or not. It's working, though. Wilbur would argue back, stand his ground, but he's not him, and he never was.

"Just for a few hours, and then, we come back here. Alright? But not now, not yet, at night we go, and be back by morning." 

He really shouldn't have agreed to this, but he swore he still had a heart as something fluttered in his chest when Tommy's dejected look on his face was replaced by a wide grin, and his eyes lit up. He almost shouted out in excitement, before remembering he had to keep this a secret and silenced himself. Ghostbur already knew he was making a mistake, but seeing Tommy so happy after days of misery made him ignore the screaming thoughts at the back of his head.

Not much happened throughout the rest of the day. They discussed more about the antidote, and it was agreed that Techno would be the one to leave and collect the wolfsbane. He left Phil in charge to look over Tommy, and although Ghostbur didn't have to stay, he chose to, at least for a couple more hours before he and Tommy head out. They were lucky, it's easier to get past Phil than Techno, but still a difficult thing to pull off. If they get caught trying to leave, he'd be more understanding than Techno, but it doesn't mean they'd be off the hook. 

Techno's lasts words to Tommy before leaving, he stared him in the eyes as he spoke; "you've really gotten yourself into some trouble, what do you plan on messing with next?" Tommy opened his mouth to argue, but Techno silenced him with just a look. "Listen to everything Phil says, and if I don't get back in time before the full moon... I'm saying this as your brother, stay strong, keep your friends in mind, and don't give into the temptation. You can fight it. The secret is to have an anchor; someone to keep you grounded, think of that person, and don't stop."

Tommy wishes he had mocked him in some way instead, like he usually does. Make fun of him for getting himself into this position, instead of leaving him speechless, and fearing for his future. It made Ghostbur consider he had changed his mind, he'd realize how dangerous visiting his friends would be and stay home. Techno would be away for a few days, two to three minimum, could take four, or at most, he'd still be gone when the full moon rises at the end of the week, in five days. An anchor, he's not even sure what that means. Someone to keep him grounded... Phil later explained that a person like that would be "Tubbo", someone he deeply cares about. 

When Ghostbur knocked on Tommy's door, and came inside to see him dressed in the Antarctic Empire uniform, his worries of leaving for L'manberg disappeared. Though, he realized he was wrong when Tommy turned to him, and just his expression exposed his thoughts. "Tommy..." he whispered, but he ignored him, walking over to a table where he had all his things laid out. Weapons, and mostly useless stuff. "Are you sure about this?" He asked, approaching him.

Tommy did seem to hesitate a bit, gripping the ends of the table and digging his nails into the wood. Huh, he thought his nails were blunt and short, but they were rather long and sharp. Tommy let out a sigh, and Wilbur caught a glimpse at his teeth, which also seemed... longer, than he thought they were. "Ghostbur, I'm not backing out of this... so I need to know if you're going to follow me, or not. I could really use your help, I don't know what I'm going to do without you," he said and chuckled nervously. 

Ghostbur knew for a fact this wasn't the right thing to do, and it would only make matters worse. The right thing to do would be to put a stop to these thoughts before they get out of hand, but he couldn't ignore Tommy's plea, he just wanted to see his friends again. He just wanted to be with Tubbo, after all this time, even though he's the one who exiled him, their bond is still as strong and unbreakable as always. However there are a few cracks, and at this rate, they're only going to get bigger until the whole thing falls apart. 

He might not be Wilbur, he may be someone entirely different with his memories, but Tommy is still his little brother. "Fine," he breathed out, as his thoughts screamed at him to change his mind before it's too late, it already is. "Let's go, then, we don't have much time." 

They did the classical pillow-body trick, stuffing pillows under the blanket and making it look like Tommy. Then, Tommy climbed out the window and carefully made his way down, whereas Ghostbur could just float. He slipped up, and Ghostbur tried to catch him, and for a moment he thought his arms could manifest, and he'd actually be able to save him, but to no luck. Thankfully, they were in a biome covered in snow, so he had a soft landing. However, Phil could have heard them, so they had to sprint. 

He told himself they'd only be gone for a couple of hours. They'll see everybody, say hello, and then make their way back home. Phil will most likely find out they escaped, and they'll both be scolded quite a bit, but in reality he can't do much to punish them. Tommy must have realized that, how he had nothing left to lose. At least, this is the first time Ghostbur's seen him happy in a while. The cold wind blowing through his blonde hair, his mouth open wide into a large grin, he doesn't just feel happy, he feels _alive._ "Woohoo!!"

The crescent moon hung high above their heads, its moonlight shining down on them. Ghostbur let out a little laugh and glanced back at Tommy, only to see him missing. "T-Tommy?!" He skidded to a halt, kicking up snow.

"Woohoo!!"

He looked down, and found that Tommy had dropped down an icy slope, a rather steep and long one. Yet, he was having the absolute time of his life. He attempted to slide down the snow standing up, but only just managed to make it halfway down before falling flat on his face. "Tommy!" Ghostbur called out, and jumped down, but as a ghost he didn't touch the ground, so he had to float all the way to Tommy's side. "Tommy, are you okay?" He asked. Tommy pulled his face out of the snow, and running down, he caught up speed again and attempted to stand, as if surfing. 

"I'm great!" He laughed. "I feel like a million bucks, Ghostbur! Woo!" He... seemed fine, thankfully, and suceeded in staying balanced, despite the speed he was going at. Ghostbur laughed, wishing that he could have the sensation of touching snow, and surf alongside him, but he could only pretend to do so as he floated. When he turned his head and looked forward, he quickly changed his mind. 

"Tommy!" They, or Tommy was nearing a massive, snow-covered rock and wasn't slowing down; he couldn't. Instead of panicking at the sight, his grin grew wider as an idea came to mind. "Oh, Tommy, no, don't you dare─" he dared.

He leaned forward, causing his speed to increase. Then, when he reached the rock, he jumped onto it and ran up it, and then, jumped off the top. Ghostbur stared, speechless at the sight of Tommy mid-air, body blocking the crescent moon, a howl escaped his throat that could be heard miles away. Distant howls followed in sync.

However, it all shortly came crashing down; literally. Tommy began nearing the ground, and although snow covered everything, it was still quite the drop. "Oh, god... Tommy! Watch out!" As if he could do anything to save himself, the ground was coming closer by half the second, and he couldn't stop it. Ghostbur acted without thinking; on instinct to save his little brother, he made a leap for it.

He closed his eyes, and the next moment, he laid on the ground. He slowly opened his eyes to find Tommy laying on his back beside him, his breathing shallow. "Tommy!" He cried, getting up he was at his aide. "Are you okay?! What were you thinking, are you bleeding anywhere? Talk to me!" 

His eyes were wide open, and he'd been staring up at the moon before Ghostbur blocked his view, leaning over him. Tommy tried to push him away, his hand only going through his face. He sat up, and let out a shaky breath, running a hand through his hair and brushing out all the snow. He seemed fine. His heart beat echoed in his ears, and a grin tugged on the corner of his mouth. Then, he let out a loud, hysterical laugh mixed with a howl and fell back onto the snow, spreading out his arms. He'd lost his mind.

"That was amazing! And you saved me, Ghostbur! I, I could feel your arms around me and you saved me from the impact!" He exclaimed, eyes wide. It must be Ghostbur's imagination, it's a little hard to see with not much light, but he swore Tommy's pupils were... odd. Slit like a cats, but not all the way, and as he wore a large grin, showing off his teeth, they were definitely much sharper than last time. He was so full of energy and adrenaline, a whole different person.

"Tommy, I... but that's not possible, see?" Ghostbur said quietly, as his hand phased through Tommy's body. His heart was racing in his chest, he was panting, almost. "Tommy, are you okay?" He asked, concerned. 

Tommy laughed, standing to his feet. "Ghostbur, I... I feel so alive! It's amazing!" He exclaimed. 

Ghostbur chuckled sheepishly, a faint smile appearing for a few seconds before fading away. They weren't too far from home, Techno's home, maybe they should go back before it's too late. That look in his eyes, he should have paid more attention. If he had realized before they left, then he wouldn't have let Tommy go under any condition.

"Come on, Ghostbur! We've still got a long way to go, and you said we've got to be back before sunset, so let's go!" He was so thrilled to see everyone again, marching through the heavy, thick snow that his new outfit protected him from. He could barely even feel the cold, though he could see his own breath. 

"Tommy." Ghostbur's voice sounded strange, he peered over his shoulder and strangely enough, he didn't share his excitement. In fact the opposite, he stood still, a distance between them. Tommy tilted his head, trying to figure out what he did wrong. "Hey, I'm fine, Ghostbur! Not a scratch on me, thanks to you! That was so cool, you need to learn how to do that again!" 

His words only brought upon a pained look on his face, confusing him more. He looked ahead of him, nothing, it was just the two of them, along with possibly Phil if they don't hurry it up. "Come on, Ghostbur! What's the deal? We've gotta go!" He said, starting to grow somewhat annoyed. Now wasn't the time to start regretting his decision, he had said yes, and they weren't going back. He's going to see Tubbo. Muttering under his breath, he turned away and continued trudging through the layers of snow that went up to his ankles. 

"Tommy!"

"What?!" 

A loud, hissing sound came from behind. He turned around just in time to come face to face with a creeper seconds away from exploding, and made a leap to safety. He landed in the snow, having taken some damage. He gasped as he looked over his shoulder, the end of his cape had been singed He rolled onto his back and his face paled at the sight of mobs, a whole army of them surrounding the area. Right, he'd forgotten they spawn at night. "Crap..." he had weapons, but no armor. "I can take them!" He shouted, pulling out his diamond sword. 

"No, just run!" Ghostbur insisted, and Tommy scoffed. He scanned his surroundings, and enemies, and it might have been the cold getting to him, but all his senses were suddenly heightened. His breath forming in the cold in front of his face, he tightened his grip around the helm of his sword, and narrowed his eyes. The world appeared to slow down, and he took half a step forward.

"Tommy!" But just the sound of Ghostbur's panicked voice snapped him out of his concentration, as a zombie, two, three of them came for him. Nothing he couldn't handle, though of course. With one fatal swing of his sword, he took all three of them down at once. He impressed himself with the feat, how much strength he suddenly had, but he had no time to think on it. 

He just happened to turn around, and blocked an oncoming arrow from a skeleton with his sword. He didn't even know there was a skeleton there. "See? It's no problem, Ghostbur!" He called out as he charged towards the skeleton, dodging every one of its arrows. From the corner of his eye, he spotted another one shooting at him, and deflected the arrow so perfectly that it bounced back and hit it. "Not a problem at all!" 

"Tommy, we need to leave, now!" Ghostbur pleaded, anxiously watching Tommy fight with incredible ease. He took them down, one by one with lightning quick reflexes like they were nothing, and while they were just common mobs, there were a lot of them. They didn't have time to waste fighting them all. "We don't have time for this!"

Everywhere he looked, there were mobs coming for him. The moonlight granted him just enough light to see, and he felt simply fantastic, adrenaline pumping through his veins keeping him going. However, it became overwhelming. He wasn't used to this, his senses were heightened and he became aware of everything around him, it started to become too much to handle all at once. His brain began melting, his senses bleeding into each other, his head raced and he felt nauseous. He had gone from one hundred straight down to zero. 

He lost the feeling in his hand, and dropped his diamond sword just as a creeper came up behind him. Everything finally started to calm down, somewhat, but not entirely back to normal. He could faintly hear Ghostbur's voice, shouting out to him, but asides from that everything had gone silent. His brain had gone numb, almost, and his senses dulled down. 

He glanced over his shoulder, seeing a blur of green. He balled his hand into a fist and spun around, his fist colliding with the creeper's face just as it was about to blow. He took it down with one punch.

"T-Tommy...?" Ghostbur witnessed from a distance, Tommy's sudden, unexplainable boost of strength, but he already knew the answer for it. He had been on a roll, taking down every mob in sight, but now he had just... stopped, standing there un-moving, head lowered and slightly hunched over. This isn't good. As he took a step forward, Tommy lifted his head just enough for Ghostbur to see his eyes. The sight forced him to an immediate halt.

Tommy's eyes were glowing red. A loud, painful ringing sound filled his head. Then, he collapsed. "Tommy!!" 

Ghostbur sprinted to his side, slaying every mob that dared come close to him. He desperately tried to manifest himself like before, and carry him in his arms. However, he couldn't, and he didn't have time to waste, they were in danger. So, he pulled out a boat and carefully positioned Tommy inside of it. At least he could still interact with objects. He got behind the boat, and pushed with all his might until they reached ice, and jumped inside. They were heading in the direction of L'manberg, the path back to Phil had been blocked by all those mobs, he wouldn't have been able to make it back with Tommy unconscious. He had no choice but to come this way, but he really didn't want to bring Tommy to L'manberg, not now... not, when he's like this. 

He's turned, without a doubt. They should have checked before they left, but they didn't, why didn't they. He... doesn't know what to do, he could try to head back to Techno's house, that would be the most logical solution, but not the easiest. Before he knew it, they had left the snowy biome, and were nearing Logsted. What a coincedence, it's also when Tommy started to wake up, just when Ghostbur chose to turn back. 

He slowly blinked open his eyes to see the crescent moon shining down on him. He leaned his head back and his vision was upside-down, but after a couple of seconds of his brain restarting itself and processing thoughts, he recognized his surroundings. "Logsted! We're here!" He exclaimed, standing up and jumping out of the boat before Ghostbur could stop him. He can't let him reach L'manberg. 

"Tommy! Wait, no!" He yelled out, getting out of the boat, he ran after him. However, he was just too far behind, as Tommy had gotten so, so much quicker on his feet, he easily beat him to the portal. Ghostbur barely got the chance to open his mouth, let alone speak before Tommy disapeared. No, he still had time.

He ran into the portal, and followed him to the Nether. However, when he made it through, Tommy was already sprinting down the path to the next portal. Once through, he'll be in L'manberg. He had to reach him in time. "You can't go to L'manberg, Tommy! You don't remember what happened, but you turned! You're not human anymore─"

Tommy heard him and came to a stop, but he stood within the portal. "What...?" He swore he misheard Ghostbur, but he heard him so clearly. It took a few seconds for his mind to register the words, and the moment he understood what he meant, he'd gone through the portal. He... there's no way Ghostbur was right, the sounds of the Nether must have made him hear something else. He glanced over his shoulder, and that's when he realized; he had gone through. 

He was back at L'manberg. He... was really here, he was back home. "I'm... I'm home..." they'd done some decorating, they were right, it does look a lot better since he left. He slowly made his way through the country in awe, admiring his surroundings. It felt like ages since he last came here, although it'd only been days. Those days spent in isolation and exile were worth it, because he was finally home, and Dream was nowhere to be seen.

He can see Tubbo.

"Tommy." Just as he was going to sprint, and start searching for his dearest best friend, Ghostbur's voice stopped him. "You can't do this. We need to go back, now." His voice was uncharacteristically sharp, and cold. It reminded Tommy of Wilbur, it caught him off guard. "You're not human anymore, Tommy, I'm sorry but..."

No, he can't be serious. Tommy's body began to tremble, he quickly turned around to face Ghostbur, eyes wide and fear on his face. Ghostbur stared at him dead on, with an icy cold expression that pierced through Tommy. "Y-you..." he isn't lying, he wouldn't lie about something as serious as this... but that means he really is telling the truth, and that means... 

His thoughts stopped there as he sensed a sudden presence. He glanced over his shoulder and at first, he swore it was his mind playing tricks on him, like the last time he saw him. It could be a hallucination, but at the same time, he was in L'manberg... 

"T-Tubbo?" He slowly turned away from Ghostbur, and his body shivered as he attempted to stop him, but his hands phased straight through. Right in front of him stood none other than Tubbo, so close... this is his chance to finally see him again, he was just there. He must have heard him, because he came to a stop. His body continued to shiver, suffering phantom touches from Ghostbur, who desperately tried to manifest himself and stop him. "Tubbo..." 

"Tommy, don't," Ghostbur warned, begged, more like it, but Tommy ignored him, his eyes widening as Tubbo finally spun around, and they locked eyes. Then, he was off. Sprinting towards his friend, his brother even, so overjoyed to be reunited at long last, putting their past conflict behind him. Tubbo didn't know how to react, seeing Tommy charge at him, when he appeared out of nowhere. He froze in place, unable to do anything as Tommy threw himself at him, wrapping his arms around his body so tightly he swore something would break. 

Tommy didn't realize his own strength, as the two of them fell to the wooden plank flooring with a loud thud. "H-hey! You're gonna suffocate me!" Tubbo complained, trying to pry himself out of his friend's grasp with no use. Then, still holding onto Tubbo, Tommy stood up. He really didn't want to let him go and admittedly, neither did he. There were noticeable changes about him since the last time Tubbo paid him a quick visit. He wore a completely different outfit, a fancy, dark blue waistcoat, and an icy blue and white cape that wrapped around him. If he weren't mistaken, he'd also grown somewhat taller, and it must be the lighting, but his eyes appeared different, too, with heavy bags underneath them. 

In the midst of enjoying their reunion, Tubbo completely forgot what he'd experience just that morning. He'd been fretting over his friend's safety, assuming he was somewhere out there with Dream and he'd have to find a way in order to locate his whereabouts, when he suddenly turns up here, dressed in... the uniform of the Antarctic Empire. Dream was nowhere in sight, however Ghostbur was running, or floating towards him and he seemed... distraught. Tubbo looked behind him, expecting to find a creeper or some kind of mob, yet nothing. 

He was no doubt beyond relieved to see Tommy again, especially after the horrifying events of this morning, but he needed an explanation, and now. "Tommy, what, what happened to you? We came by your house and we didn't find you, and then there was all this blood and, and this big, wolf thing that attacked you, right? Oh my god, are you okay?! Did you treat your wounds, or do they need treating?! Come, come this way and we'll have them checked out! You're not in any pain, are you? And what are you wearing?" So many questions all at once, he couldn't help it, he needed to know everything. He took his hand, and began leading him away.

"It's... a long story," he chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. His hair had started to grow out a bit in exile, finally having a decent brush in ages, it was tied into a small, low ponytail. 

"Tommy, we can't stay," Ghostbur interrupted, approaching the two and stood in between them, causing Tubbo's hand to slip out of Tommy's before he firmly grasped it again with a shaky grip. He narrowed his eyes at the ghost, but he seemed hesitant, lightly swaying side to side. He but his bottom lip, tightening his hold on Tubbo's hand. 

"Why not? You said for a couple of hours!"

"Yes, but I changed my mind! We have to go back, it's too dangerous here!" Ghostbur raised his voice. Tommy flinched, taking a step back, he unintentionally let go of Tubbo. Who stood there, astonished and dumbfounded with no clue to the current situation. 

Tommy's expression softened, but Ghostbur had no more pity. This is serious, and there is no other option. "Tommy, we leave, now. I'm sorry, but it's for your own good," he stated, his expression turning harsh. Tommy opened his mouth to speak, but to his surprise, no words came out. Instead, he lowered his head in defeat, hands balled into shaky fists. This was for his own good, and everyone's, including Tubbo's safety.

"T-Tommy?" Tubbo spoke up, stepping around Ghostbur. "What, what's going on? You can't leave, why would you have to? If it's Dream, we can fight him off. Tommy, what's wrong?" He asked, voice slightly cracking as he placed his hands on his shoulders. Tommy slowly raised his head and they locked eyes, and for sure, his eyes had changed. Tubbo opened his mouth to speak, but cut himself off when Tommy wrapped his arms around him, tight, burying his head into his shoulder. "T-Tommy?" Then, his body began to tremble and he started... crying.

"I-I'm a monster," he mumbled, voice muffled. Tubbo's shoulders slumped, and he returned the hug. He can't figure out why, but he started to get a little teary-eyed. This is supposed to be a reunion, not another goodbye, and for some reason it seemed like the last. He held him close, refusing to let go when Tommy tried to pull away. 

"You're not a monster! I should have never sent you away, it was my mistake!" He wailed. "Don't leave, Tommy! You can tell me what's wrong, is Dream after you? Do you know what that thing you encountered near your house is? Please, answer me, Tommy. I... I thought you were dead," he begged as Tommy broke away, and looked at him regrettably while they were both on the edge of falling apart. Ghostbur walked past him, and stood beside Tommy. 

"I'm sorry, Tubbo." Tommy resisted the urge to cling onto his best friend, refuse to let go and continue to beg to stay just for a few minutes longer. But then he'd never want to leave. It had to be a mistake, he can't actually... be a monster now, a horrific creature of nightmares that just nights ago, he assumed only existed in fairytales and his subconscious. He wishes so desperately he was right. "I... I have to go." If he does follow Ghostbur, then when is he supposed to meet up with him again? Once he gets the antidote? But who knows how long that is going to take.

They only have a couple of days until the full moon, not long, but still, they couldn't spare a few minutes, or hours? Nothing should happen until the full moon. He'll still have to leave, but... he turned to Ghostbur for one last attempt, tears beginning to roll down his face. 

"Just... a couple of minutes, an hour at least... please, Ghostbur, just... give me a little bit of time to talk to him. I-I haven't seen him in ages."

He's really pushing his luck, and he doesn't know what he's going to do once he's run out. 


	6. The wolf's teeth are red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> song;  
> The Lion and the Wolf - Thrice

It'd been a night like any other, a day spent the same as the previous. Tommy had gone to bed, saying goodnight to Phil, expecting to fall asleep within a matter of minutes; he usually did. Phil flicked off the light, and his room became encased in darkness. Tommy slid under the covers, pulling them up past his shoulders, and moved around to get comfortable. Then, he closed his eyes, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Or so, he would have, if it weren't for a sudden loud creak coming from somewhere close by. He thought Phil had come back to tell him something, so he sat up and glanced at the door. But it remained closed with no more sound. After a couple of seconds of waiting, he slowly laid back down, but he didn't get the chance to close his eyes, as the strong, howling winds clashed against his window, startling him up. He knew it was just the wind, but for a moment, he swore he had heard a howl instead. 

His gaze lingered on the locked window for a few seconds, as the wind hit against it, like actual fists pounding on the glass. Then, the window, which he swore he locked, suddenly flung open. The harsh wind let itself in, resembling a howl, and headed straight for him. It blew through his hair, and he closed his eyes as howls screamed in his ears. Then, he opened his eyes and jumped off his bed, hurrying to the window, he struggled to push it shut. Before he could pull down the lock, a final gust of wind blew that almost knocked him off his feet. Quickly he stood up, and using more strength than should've been necessary, he closed the window and made sure to lock it.

He stood there, catching his breath. He wrapped his arms around himself, and shivered. Then, an array of sounds could suddenly be heard around him. The house creaked, and so did the floorboard under his feet as he took a step back. Though the window didn't budge, the wind persisted, trying to force its way inside. A scratching on the walls temporarily distracted him; or perhaps a mouse had gotten into the walls, scurrying around in the darkness. Speaking of such, he could barely see a thing, unable to even make out his own hand in front of his face. 

With a frightened gasp, he turned to face the door. All was silent, for only a couple of seconds, before he heard it again, the scratching. Long, sharp nails dragging across the wooden door, just on the other side. He could barely make out heavy breathing coming from the same direction, overshadowed by the howling wind, or maybe it was simply a part of it. He gulped, unable to be certain. 

Slowly, he approached the door, the floorboards creaking with every step. He swore they didn't use to do this, the house isn't that old, as far as he knows. Sometimes it creaks a little, and a few places need a bit of touching up when the weather gets harsh. But this is... different, and he can't quite explain why. 

It sounded almost melodic; the symphony of the howls, the scratching, and creaking, playing a tune just for him. His eyes, unblinking, were fixated on the door, still closed. If it were Phil outside, he would have made a noise, he would have said something and open the door. He wouldn't just be standing there, hiding, as he breaths heavily. Slowly, Tommy was closing in on it, reaching out a small, trembling hand for the doorknob. 

As his fingers were mere inches from the doorknob, he heard clattering from behind. He turned his head in time to catch the handles of the window viciously jiggling, almost too fast for his eyes to process, and surely not a result of the wind. There were only handles on the inside, and he had no explanation for what he saw. Then, the windows burst open again, so frantically, he covered his face with his arm, assuming glass had shattered by the sheer force. 

He cautiously lowered his arm, to see no glass on the floor, but the window was wide open, the unstoppable wind howling loudly again, as it swirled around in his pitch black room, flying straight past his head, screaming into his sensitive ears. He ran towards the window and caught the doors swinging back and forth wildly, only to pull back as pain pierced his hand. To his horror, he had a small piece of glass in his palm, blood following the lines on his hand as it trailed down to his wrist. 

Tears prickled his eyes, and he opened his mouth to call out for Phil to come help him. But instead, he lifted his gaze and stared right out the window, and there he saw, illuminated by the bright full moon hanging in the sky; a shadowy figure. It eased his mind, relaxing his muscles. His tears stopped, and his hands fell to his side. He watched with wide, curious eyes, at the peculiar figure prancing in the snow. At first, he assumed it was a wolf, a creature he didn't see a lot of because Phil warned him it was "dangerous", and he could only watch them from afar. They were so fluffy, and cute though, and even Phil had described them as "majestic", a nice sounding word even though he didn't quite get what it meant. 

His eyes followed the creature's movements in awe, it appeared to be dancing, and the house's song continued to play. A smile began to spread across Tommy's face, and he almost wanted to get a closer look. 

Then, for some reason, the wolf came to a halt. He watched in confusion, and disappointment. Why had it stopped so abruptly? He hoped it wasn't going to leave, he wanted to continue admiring it for a little longer, completely forgetting about his sustained injury. His smile began to fade, and he squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look at the wolf. Although it stood out like a sore thumb with its dark coat, contrast to the snowy area. 

His eyes widened as the wolf, that's what he thought it had been, began... to stand on its hind legs. Without a doubt it'd been a wolf, when it stood on all fours, at least that's what it appeared to be. However, as it stood up-right like a human being, and yet... still had its wolf-like features from what he could see, the ears, the fur, the tail... it didn't make sense. He had never seen a wolf do that before, he didn't know they could. It no longer seemed "majestic" to him anymore, instead, this sickly feeling he didn't enjoy began swirling around in his stomach. Fear. 

He took a step back, the floorboard creaking so loudly under his weight he assumed it'd just snap, and his leg would fall through. His eyes lingered on the wolf, but they started to water and his eyelids began to droop, and he needed to blink. So he did, albeit only for a second, or two, before they were wide open again. Though, now the wolf, was staring straight at him. And it had something in its mouth... a lifeless rabbit.

Everything had been silent up until that point, even the wind, but it had started to violently kick up again, brushing his hair into his face. He opened his mouth to scream, but hair got into his mouth, and nothing, not even a whisper came out. He stumbled back and fell, the small shard of glass falling out of his palm when his hand hit the floor. He scurried back, his body trembling as he stared at the window. The curtains were lifted up by the wind, the rings holding the curtains shaking violently until one of them came off, and one of the curtains dropped, just barely missing him. 

He could finally scream, and scream he did, as loud as he could, begging for someone to hear him and come rushing in as his saviour. The wind didn't calm itself, but for a moment it quieted down, and he heard a voice whisper his name. _"Tommy."_

He stumbled to his feet, and grabbed onto the doorknob with both hands, pulling as hard as he could, but it wouldn't budge, as if someone was on the other end pulling it away from him. "Wilbur! Techno! Daaad!" He wailed, but he could hardly hear his voice over the wind, and his words bled into each other. He thought his heart would explode, with how it raced against his ribcage, he had the urge to throw up. Just when he expected the doorknob to come off, the door finally swung open a bit too fast, hitting him in the head and would leave a bruise. 

He heard the night whisper his name again, calling for him. _"Tommy."_

But he didn't dare stick around to find out what it wanted. He ran out the room and sprinted down the narrow, dimly lit corridor, tripping over and falling onto his hands briefly, before pushing himself back up. His thoughts gave him a headache, going too fast for him to understand. The moment he spotted an open door, he threw himself inside and slamming the door shut behind him, he locked it. Then, he hastily climbed into the bed, hiding under the warm covers, and snuggled up against his older brother, Wibur. Or, that's who he thought it'd been, not realizing in the darkness he had been mistaken, and instead found Techno's room. The one who would always tease him, laugh at him and mock him for the smallest things, he was the last person he wanted to seek comfort from in such situations. 

He felt his brother tense up as he clung to him, tears running down his cheeks. "D-Don't kick me out, Will, I-I'm scared. I... I don't know what I-I, but..." he started wailing and sobbing before he could get the last word out. His hand throbbed with immense pain, worse than he had ever felt before. He cried into Techno's shoulder, who didn't dare move. He couldn't stop crying. He constantly argued with Techno that he was basically a teenager, despite only being seven, he wanted to show that he was brave, and tough. But now look at him, he's sobbing hysterically like a baby. 

His head spun, and he resisted the urge to vomit. His brother turned around suddenly, and Tommy tensed up, only to be pulled into a safe embrace, his brother wrapping one arm around him, and the other gently brushing his hair. His body continued to shake for roughly a minute more, until he finally calmed down, and was able to sleep peacefully for the rest of the night. 

When the sun arose in the morning, he began to toss and turn as light filled the room. He slowly opened his eyes, and sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he glanced around the room, and his heart got caught in his throat. This wasn't Wilbur's room, nor Phil's, instead he had ran into Techno's room, which meant he had been sleeping with him the entire night, snuggled up to him. He opened his mouth to apologize, scream in terror even, only to see the bed empty. 

He reluctantly slid off the bed, and noticed his hand wrapped in thin bandages. He unwrapped it, curious to see why, and instantly regretted it when he saw the cut on his palm. He quickly re-wrapped the bandages poorly with a shaky hand, and recalled last night's events that without a doubt, would be coughed up to his imagination by everyone. He hesitantly left the room, sneaking back to his to get changed out of his pajamas before meeting everyone at the dining table. He approached with his head low, shoulders raised as he felt Techno's gaze on him, and he silently begged that he wouldn't bring it up. Just this once, choose not to mock him.

It was silent, as he sat at the table. He reached out to grab the silver spoon, before remembering the bandages and instead, used his other, non-dominant hand which raised a few eyebrows. He awkwardly cleared his throat, starring down at his cereal, struggling to scoop it up with a shaky hand. "Um, I... my other hand is tired," he lied. It's a silly excuse, but Wilbur and Phil shrugged it off. If only Techno hadn't opened his mouth.

"So," he said, and Tommy flinched, dropping his spoon into his bowl. "Why did you come running to my room, in the middle of the night, crying and all terrified, like you'd seen a ghost?" He asked in a painfully blunt tone. He just had to bring it to attention and let everyone know, when he couldn't have just kept it to himself, just this once. Wilbur choked on his food, and Phil sent Tommy a wary look, awaiting a response.

Tommy didn't want to say it, though, sticking out his bottom lip he balled his hands into fists by his side and narrowed his eyes. Though, he couldn't stay quiet, either. "I did not!" He argued, slamming his hands on the table, and as Phil scolded him for doing so, a bit of milk spilling out of his bowl, he noticed his injured hand. 

"Tommy, what happened to your hand?!" He asked, panicked, seeing the faint blood stain. Wilbur had a look of horror, too, when he noticed it. Phil hurried to Tommy's side, and took his hand, unwrapping the bandages to reveal the minor wound. "Tommy! What did you do?!"

He jumped, pulling his hand away, he hesitated to speak. If he tries to tell them what he saw, what happened... they won't believe him. They'll just say that he had a nightmare, or it was simply his childish imagination. But at the same time, he couldn't come up with a lie. He slowly pulled his hand back and looked away, raising his shoulders. "I... saw, something outside my window... and, and something said my name... the wind blew the window open, and I accidentally cut my hand," he answered, just above a whisper.

Phil furrowed his brows in confusion, and gently placing a hand against Tommy's face, turned his head so he looked into his soft, caring green eyes. "Tommy," he said quietly, "what did you see?" He asked, and his voice had eased Tommy so much that he didn't think twice before answering confidently.

"I... I don't know. I thought it was a wolf, that you and me see by the forest a lot, but then it..." he looked away, and tried remembering what he saw, but his memory was a blur. It'd been dark, there were a lot of things happening, the wind distracting him; the glass in his hand. It felt like a dream, actually, but he doesn't dream. "It looked like the beast from the story you told me, the, the werewolf. It stood on two legs, and looked right at me!" He answered, raising his voice slightly as he looked back at Phil, his Father.

Seeing his expression change, he regretted his word choice. He shouldn't have compared it to the creature from a fairy tale, now he definitely won't believe him. "It's true, I really did see it!" He insisted. He turned to Wilbur, hoping he would be on his side, but he seemed hesitant, sheepish. He didn't dare look back at Techno, already knowing his thoughts. 

"Tommy, werewolves don't exist, I thought you knew that," he commented with a slight roll of his eyes. Tommy gritted his teeth, the images of last night flashing through his mind; he had really seen that... beast, it was no dream, it'd been real. 

"I did see it! It was looking right at me with it's, it's red eyes! It looked just like the creature Phil described!" He argued, snapping his head around to glare at Techno. Who oddly enough, avoided his gaze. In that moment, in his frustration, he wished for the same beast to give Techno a visit, just like it had done with him. He wanted it to scare him, finally give him something to be afraid of. Then, he'd believe him and eat his words. But at the same time, he knew it wouldn't happen, and he'd be left the only witness.

"Tommy," Phil hushed him, cupping his cheeks, he made him look at him. "There are no such things as... werewolves, and monsters, my sweet boy. They don't exist, as you said, they're just from a story. So you have nothing to be afraid of, okay?" He reassured, but that's not what Tommy wanted. He knew what he had seen, and deep down, although he tried to ignore it, he knew that wouldn't be his last encounter with the beast. And he was right, although the occurences weren't frequent, and it never got to that level before. 

The wind would howl, he'd hear scratching, and rarely, he would hear a voice whisper his name, but he passed it off as simply the wind. He refused to leave his room no matter how bad, and terrifying it got. What was the point? They would only poke fun at him, brush it off as his imagination and that'd be it. So he stayed protected under his covers, although there was this one time Wilbur came in to check on him, and the moment he knocked on the door, the wind, the scratches and everything else ceased. 

Tommy secretly wanted to ask if he could sleep with him, just for that night. However, he kept his mouth shut and when Wilbur left after a couple of minutes, there had been silence for... some time, but then it returned, and it didn't stop until he would eventually fall asleep. After the first three months, the late night horrors became somewhat rare, and when Tubbo came into the family, they came to a stop. Though that voice, whispering his name always lurked in the back of his mind, he just didn't notice it. 

Until he saw that wretched beast again, and finally, the voice forever left his mind; but at what cost?

'One more hour,' Ghostbur had told him. 'One hour, and then... please, Tommy, we have to leave.' He's also told him that they could return, but he only said that to ease him into leaving, because he knew once they leave, they won't be coming back for a while. So, he had to make time worth it, and whereas an hour normally felt like a long amount of time, the sands of time were slipping through his fingers as if he had mere minutes left to spare. 

Ghostbur does have a point, though. He's... turned, he could put everyone in danger. Although, he doesn't understand how Ghostbur knows that for sure, how would he know? He didn't see the wound. Did he know something he doesn't? His thoughts are all over the place, it's a mess, there are these... whispers in his head, he swore they weren't there before. Only one thing calmed him down, the presence of his best friend; Tubbo, whom he never wanted to be separated from again. Just being close to him again put his mind at ease, after all this time, they can finally see each other again. But why do they have to take different paths again? 

Before Ghostbur left Tommy to talk privately with Tubbo, Tommy was warned that it might be for the best that he... doesn't tell Tubbo everything. It confused him at first. Why would Ghostbur want him to hide things from Tubbo? But then it hit him, hard. It knocked the air out of his lungs. He shouldn't tell Tubbo... what he's become, a monster. He's already been exiled, what'll happen to him now? No, Tubbo wouldn't do wouldn't do anything of the sort to him again. He apologized, which means they're friends again, right? 

As of now, he had his head rested on Tubbo's shoulder, not saying a word although Tubbo had asked him multiple questions, they all went in one ear and straight out the other. He prayed for Techno to hurry up and return home with that wolfsbane, so he could be cured already, and he'd have one less thing to worry about. He already had enough to deal with, but at the very least, he was back in L'manberg, his home. He's exiled, but Tubbo doesn't seem to care, hugging him tight, almost afraid to let go. As if his arms wrapped around were the only thing holding him together. 

"What happened?" Tubbo's words finally got through to Tommy, and he slowly released himself from his thoughts to look down at his friend, his brother. His eyes were sore, and tired, the countless sleepless nights catching up to him. He had a new home for himself, with Techno and Phil, but... he still needed time to recover. 

He gathered his thoughts, and squinted his eyes as he came up with an answer. How much should he tell him? He said he already found the werewolf, though he isn't quite sure what it is. He probably shouldn't tell him the truth, let him assume it's just an oversized, strange wolf. "I... got attacked by a wolf, but I managed to escape and... I followed Ghostbur to safety. We got lost..." he explained, but his words trailed off, losing his train of thought. Tubbo stared at him, and Tommy feared he'd be able to see straight through his lies, but instead, he hugged him again.

"I'm glad you're safe. I don't care that you got exiled, you must be hurt, so you can stay here," he said, sternly. Tommy gulped, his body tensing up. He wants to stay, he truly does, he can't express how relieved and overjoyed it makes him to hear those words. That he's been forgiven, but the image of Tubbo telling Dream to escort him out of L'manberg flashes through his mind; mocking him. They're still friends, right...? Sure, he might have exiled him, chose his nation over him and didn't visit him once, but...

"There was, a lot of blood at the scene, so come on, let me have a look, I'm sure I can do something to help," Tubbo said, slowly removing his arms from Tommy, and the moment he did, Tommy stepped back. He stared at him, puzzled, and furrowed his brows. "Tommy? Is... everything alright?" He asked, softly, tilting his head. He closed his mouth into a thin line, his hands falling to his side. "Tommy, why... do you have the Antarctic Empire clothes on?"

Tommy asked himself if revealing the whole truth won't be that bad. But he glanced at one of Techno's wanted posters, they were all over the place amongst other things, making fun of both him and Techno. He clutched at the fabric around his neck, which suddenly grew tight. "Tubbo, we're... friends, right?"

"O-of couse we are!" Tubbo answered without a split second of hesitance, eyes going wide. "I know I exiled you, but... I regret it! I'm sorry, Tommy, but you were being reckless and... I still could have handled it better," his voice grew quiet, and he looked away at the ground, balling his hands into fists. He could have handled it better, the memories of that haunting day played through his mind. Don't tell him it's too late, they can still fix this. "We'll always be best friends, and brothers, right?" He asked hopefully, a smile crossing his face as he opened his hands and took a step closer.

"Now, please, let me help you." He came a little too close, and as Tommy's eyes slightly widened, Tubbo got a good look at them. They had definitely changed, they appeared... inhuman, upon closer inspection. He thought back to the wolf, how it was nothing like he'd ever seen before, and he couldn't rationally explained its existence, asides from some weird mutation, but that didn't sit right. Ranboo's words rang through his head, loudly.

_"It looks like a werewolf..."_

It really did. But they aren't real, they're just made-up...

Right?

Yet, as Tubbo stared into Tommy's eyes, which have always been the brightest blue, but were now tinted with amber along with his pupils having changed... something didn't sit right with him. In fact, his slight curiousity and worry had began to manifest into fear. 

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything; "hey, Tommy, um, we... we need to go." Ghostbur had appeared out of nowhere, coming up behind Tommy, he smiled at Tubbo, but he could see straight through his plastered smile. Behind his hollow, translucent eyes and his voice were genuine fear, or just nervousness. Clearly, something was up, and nobody was explaining anything to him, or at least not everything. 

"What? But Ghostbur, you said at least an hour!" Tommy complained, stepping back just as Tubbo was about to reach out to him. Then, he saw Ghostbur's lips move as he whispered something to Tommy that Tubbo didn't quite catch, but he watched as Tommy's eyes widened, his jaw fell, and his face shifted into one of horror, and Ghostbur's one of pity. 

Then, Tommy turned to Tubbo, not even attempting to mask his emotions. "I-I'm sorry, Tubbo, I have to go," he stuttered out, stumbling back. They were differently hiding something from him, something big, and he has the faintest idea as to what it could be. But he can't be certain, he feels insane just for coming up with such a ridiculous conclusion that can't possibly be true. 

But they left him no time to think it over. They had just gotten here, but now they were already in a rush to leave. "Tommy, wait!" He called out, and chased after him as he began sprinting down the path. Though, he could barely keep up, getting left in the dust. Even Ghostbur struggled to stay by his side, and he only had to float.

Tommy paid no attention to where he was going, a familiar rush of adrenaline surged through his body. He needed to leave L'manberg and return to Techno's house as soon as possible. How long had they been out for? He thought they would have a bit more time before Phil realized their disappearance, but appearently not. He narrowly avoided mobs, making his way to the exit. Once there, they'd have no more distractions. He regrettably glanced over his shoulder, and the distance between him and Tubbo was much, much larger than he assumed. 

His heart sank to the bottom of his chest. "─ommy!" He'd barely heard Ghostbur's voice, and turned his head to come practically face to face with... was that, Ranboo?

He attempted to skid to a halt, but found himself unable to do so at his current speed, and Ranboo blocked his path. Ranboo turned around to face him, but he didn't have enough time to move out of the way. They'd crash within a couple of seconds at this rate. He began embracing himself for impact, but at the last moment, he saw a different alternative. Jumping from the walls of the two buildings on either sides of him, he jumped right over his head and somehow, landed on his own two feet and kept going. He could hear Ranboo shouting out his name in shock, the feat both amazed and frightened him, but he didn't have time to think it over. He needed to leave, now, right now. Shouldn't be far now.

"Niki, look out!" But Ghostbur's frantic voice distracted him for a moment, as he quickly glanced over to the girl, who was fighting off a skeleton and right behind her, a creeper approached, ready to explode and kill her. 

_'She'll be fine',_ He told himself, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Just a short distance from the exit, he made a sharp turn, changing his direction, and charged towards Niki. Who, upon faintly hearing Ghostbur's unmistakable voice, looked in his direction. Then, she heard a loud, hissing sound come from behind her, and she froze. Just as she whipped her head around to confront the creeper, just seconds away from blowing up in her face, something overshadowed her. She barely had time to look up, only catching a glimpse of the figure in the air, before it came crashing down, grabbed onto the creeper, and shredding the mob with sharp claws, it disintegrated. Then, he jumped to the skeleton, his diamond sword sitting in his back pocket, he tore it apart with ease, and it disapeared into thin air.

A nearby skeleton shot an arrow at him, and he caught it in his hand, although it did slice open his palm, deep red blood dripping down. 

"Tommy...?" Niki's voice was so soft, she always had a gentle smile on to lighten the mood. An actual angel, she was, but when he looked at her, her smile was gone, and her caring eyes were filled with terror, her hands covering her mouth. Tommy looked down at his hands, dropping the arrow. His nails had grown into long, sharp claws. The blood spilling from his open cut stopped flowing, and he watched with his own two eyes as the skin began to repair itself until the cut had completely disapeared, not even leaving a scar.

Then, he lifted his head, and an arrow struck him straight through the chest. It didn't kill him, in fact... he barely even felt it. He stumbled back, and simply pulled out the arrow piercing his chest. He looked to Niki again, who uncovered her mouth and hesitantly took a step forward. Then, he saw Ghostbur approaching, and he dropped the arrow. He unknowingly stood at the very edge of a hill, and as Ghostbur opened his mouth to speak, Tubbo running over behind him...

Tommy leaned backwards, and couldn't save himself. 

He rolled down the grassy hill, skeletons and such attacking him, but asides from a few arrows, they missed. He wrapped his arms around himself, before attempting to dig his claws into the hill and stop himself. For a second, it worked, but he quickly lost his grip. He opened his mouth to shout, but something collided with the back of his head, and it all went dark.


	7. This is a place where I feel at home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> song; to build a home by the cinematic orchestra

Four days until the full moon rises.

Tommy awoke in a cold sweat, struggling to breathe. He got entangled in the covers, trapping himself more as he panicked. Where is he, what happened? He can't quite recall. He heard Ghostbur shout out Niki's name, and... he doesn't know what happened next. He fell off the bed trying to free himself, hitting the floor with a thud. 

He calmed his breathing to lean back his head, and locked eyes with Tubbo. His throat went dry, and all muscles in his entire body tensed. His mouth hung open, but he couldn't find the words to speak. Right, he was back in L'manberg... he had been talking with Tubbo, when he started to get suspicious, and then Ghostbur informed him Phil messaged him, and he knows that they're gone. They were supposed to return to Techno's house, but the morning sun shined through the curtains into the room, and they were still at L'mamberg.

"Tommy, are you alright?! How are you feeling?" Tubbo asked frantically, hurrying over to his side, he tried to help but Tommy quickly stood up and stepped back. The two stared into each other's eyes for a few moments before Tommy turned away, shoulders raised. He had a headache, and he's seen better days, but the only thing going through his head was; _"does he know?"._

Taking in his surroundings, he realized he was in his own home. Everything was still made out of granite, courtesy of Captain Puffy. It'd been so, so long since he last came here, but he couldn't remember exactly how long. 

"Oh, Tommy, you're awake!" He exclaimed in glee as he floated inside, the front of the house still missing, making it appear more of a cave. His smile faded at the sight of Tubbo, but he shook his head, floating past Tubbo, and his smile returned. "I need to talk with you in private, if that's alright," he said, side-eyeing Tubbo, though he seemed unfazed by the words. He'd spaced off, staring at Tommy. 

He shook his head, snapping back to reality. "R-right, but don't take too long. I... also need to discuss some things with Tommy," he said, keeping his eyes on Tommy, he seemed... sad, for some reason. Not being able to read his friend's thoughts left Tommy unsettled, watching as Tubbo made his exit, but stopped at the door, glancing back at Tommy over his shoulder before leaving.

The second he left, a weight was lifted from Tommy's chest and he fell back onto his bed. His thoughts were over the place, he couldn't focus on one thing. He stared at his ugly ceiling, remembering how shocked and annoyed he was when he woke up to find his house replaced with granite. He never did manage to get his revenge on Captain Puffy, because on the same day he got exiled. "Tommy...?" 

He closed his eyes, breathing in and out, and sat up. He ran a hand through his hair, and it fell in his face. He pulled his hand away and stared at it, narrowing his eyes, as if trying to see something unclear. His nails were long, and sharp, they were claws. As Ghostbur spoke words that passed through him, Tommy felt his teeth, and quickly withdrew his hand due to sudden pain. He had cut his finger on his own teeth. 

It's strange, returning home at last, to the one place he held so close to his heart, and had fought for, he expected to excited, thrilled to be back. It's not like that at all, it's nothing like he expected. In fact, he felt absolutely horrible. 

"Tommy?" He raised his head and stared up at Ghostbur, eyelids heavy and eyes dull. He wishes he could see himself from his perspective; how dod he seem? Did he look like his old self, or had he turned into someone entirely different? 

He recognized that glint in his hollow, pale eyes; pity. He questions if this empty feeling in his chest, as if there's a hole there, is how he feels. He had relief and serenity in the afterlife as a ghost, after living such a troubled life that went downhil. Him and Wilbur are two separate people, as he's stated multiple times before, but it's hard to grasp. No matter, he's still his loving older brother whom he's always looked up to... right?

"We need to return to Phil, you... almost lost control again, Tommy. It's too dangerous here, and I know you miss everyone, but it's for the best," Tommy cut him off there, standing up. He lifted his head to meet Ghostbur's gaze, his hands were balled into shaky fists, his claws digging into his palms. He inhaled a sharp breath, eyes burning through the ghost. 

"What do you mean _'again'_?"

Too late to take back his words, Ghostbur's voice got caught in his throat. He floated back a bit, and looked anywhere other than Tommy. He chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head, but his own hand phased through. He made the mistake of glimpsing at Tommy, and the boy's fierce eyes locked him in place. His expression saddened, that look of guilt returning. "I... I found out you... you turned because on the way here, you lost control. You don't remember, but you recall waking up at Logsted in the boat, right? You blacked out." 

Dread filled Tommy's stomach, his face going pale. He held his head in his hands, muttering "no" to himself under his breath over and over again. He tried to force himself to remember, it occured not long ago. He ran down the snowy slope, pretending he was surfing, and then... there were mobs, a lot of them, and he can faintly hear Ghostbur's worried voice echoing in his head, telling him it's not worth it. That must have been when he blacked out. 

A piercing ringing sound abruptly entered his mind. He let out a startled shout, stumbling back he threw his hands over his ears, but it did nothing to stop the god awful noise. He backed into the bedframe and shut his eyes tight, gritting his teeth. He couldn't hear anything over the painful sound, not even his own voice as he yelled. 

Soon enough, it stopped. He could no longer hear it anymore, and for a moment he assumed he couldn't hear anything, slowly looking around the room, his eyes landed on Ghostbur who stared at him as if he'd witness something horrific. Understandable, since Tommy had just screamed bloody murder. He wouldn't be too surprised if Tubbo came crashing through that door, and what a coincidence, he did just that.

"Tommy! What happened, are you alright?!" He asked, almost tripping over his own feet to run to his aide. What surprised Tommy, is that he wasn't alone. Standing by the entrance were Niki, and Fundy. Tommy's heart folded in on itself when he saw Niki, and his mind flashed back to last night's events. He had lost control as far as he knows, but at least she's okay. 

He broke out of his thoughts when Tubbo grasped his shoulders, and made him sit down. "Does it hurt anywhere?" He asked firmly, and Tommy stared at him blankly, his mind running dead for a few seconds. Then, it rebooted and he took Tubbo's wrist and moved his hand off his shoulder. Any wounds he sustained healed, and for anyone else that'd be great, amazing even, but it's the complete opposite. He would much rather be left with scars and aching, bleeding wounds to know he's human. 

"I'm fine, Tubbo," he said quietly, not sounding like himself at all, even he knew that. His words tasted dry and left a foul aftertaste he wanted to spit out. He kept his head low, refusing to look at Tubbo, because it wouldn't be him staring back. 

He'd only just gotten this new, fitting uniform, which has lasted for years and still looked new, but in just one night he had burnt the end of the cape, which hung up on the wall, and got it dirty.

"Tommy, you took quite the fall last night, and you hit your head. You were also attacked by that wolf, and I understand Techno might have tended to your wounds, but let me make sure─" he persisted, his words drilling into Tommy's head. He didn't let him continue, grabbing onto the wrist that reached out to him with a uncomfortably tight hold. _He knows about Techno._

"I told you, I am fine!" He bared his teeth, his claws unintentionally digging into his skin. Tubbo yanked his hand back with a gasp, a hand flying to his wrist he backed away and almost lost his footing. Fundy swiftly moved from leaning against the wall to Tubbo's side, and Tubbo slowly removed his hand from his wrist and a single drop of fresh blood dropped to the floor, the sound of it hitting the ground echoed in Tommy's ears, eyes fixated on the small drop. 

His eyes flickered to his hand, his hand open and claws out, one in particular had the slightest stain of blood on the tip. The realization setting in, his wide, wild eyes one could describe as animalistic softened and panic overcame him. He'd hurt Tubbo, he made him bleed, whether on accident or not, he let it happen by his own hand. His mind raced, eyes glued to the single drop of blood on the floor, Tubbo's hand stopping anymore from bleeding out. 

"I didn't," he started out, unable to tear his eyes away. He gulped, and bit his botton lip. He could almost throw up at any given second, his stomach swirled with a sickly feeling. He desperately wanted to get whatever out of his system. "I didn't mean to," he looked up to Tubbo, and immediately, seeing his frightened expression shattered his heart into a million pieces. _"I'm a monster,"_ he can remember himself saying, as Tubbo embraced him. 

_"No, you're not."_

Does he realize how wrong he is now? His eyes are filled with fear, understandbaly, though he tried to collect himself, keeping a firm grip on his wrist that still bled. He could smell it, and he did his best to try and block it out but to no use. If he isn't a monster, then what is he, really? 

No longer human, that's for sure. 

His head shot up when he heard footsteps. Tubbo had moved closer to him again, despite what just happened, and Fundy trying to hold him back, only to be lightly pushed out of the way. As Tubbo approached, Tommy's heart beat kicked up, and he broke into a sweat. Before Tubbo could come too close, he stood up, stopping him in his tracks. He wore a pleading look; _please, don't come any closer._

Silence filled the room, sucking out all the air. Frankly, Tommy wouldn't be surprised if he simply collapsed. It'd be better than dealing with all of this. "I'm, I'm sorry I-I don't feel so well. I need to get some fresh air," he said with a light, sheepish chuckle at the end. He pushed past Tubbo, but met eyes with Fundy, and he couldn't tell what the fox had in mind. If someone else were in his situation and he watched on, he'd be thinking a multitude of things, depending on the person. On one hand, he wanted a mirror to see just how terrible he looked, but on the other hand, it'd only make matters worse depending on what he sees in the reflection. 

He staggered past Fundy, lastly having to pass Niki before he could leave. Part of him wanted to question her about last night, what happened when he ran to her, what did he do? And yet, he spared one quick glance at her, and didn't utter a word. Though, her eyes were on him, worried? Concerned? He honestly couldn't tell when his mind's a blur, and he can hardly focus on one thing. He slowly turned his head away, and stepped out. 

He expected a cold gust of wind to hit his face, and for his feet to land in snow that comes up to his ankles. Neither of those things came. Right, it doesn't snow in L'manberg, he isn't at Techno's house. He'd only been there for a day or so, and yet, that place feels a lot more like home than here. It's painful, almost, but his heart is unusually numb. He should be more concerned about that, he just walked out of his home, his actual home that he lived in and built. So then why does it all feel so unfamiliar, and alien to him? 

This is his country, his home, and yet all he wants right now is to be back at Techno's home with Phil, his warm, comforting embrace again that keeps him safe. If he leaves now, they'll know, Tubbo will know and he'll question it... he clearly still cares about him, but how much? 

How did so much change in so little time?

The world seemed... different, somehow. It could just be him, the faint echoes of the ringing sound he heard before lingering in his mind, he feared it coming back again. He swore everthing had become louder, he could hear and see clearer than before. He knew it had to be a side-effect of him changing, and he knew how it all became too much before, but right now... it was quite nice.

In the distance, he spotted a familiar figure. The only one who has been by his side, and looked out for him, asides from Dream, but... he's gone now. "Ranboo," he mumbled, eyes wide. "Hey, Ranboo!" He called out, a wide grin crossing his mouth as he waved. His friend heard him, coming to a halt, and quickly made his way over. 

"Tommy, you're up! That's a relief, you weren't doing so well," he said. Tommy didn't need to ask, Ranboo noticing his confusion, although he hesitated a little to elaborate. "You were out cold. Then, you started talking in your sleep, tossing and turning, we thought you were having a nightmare. Tubbo wanted to check if you had any injuries, after your... encounter with that thing in Logsted, but for some reason, Ghostbur made up excuses to keep him back. You're... alright though, right?"

A nightmare, huh? He never has those, not even dreams. He didn't linger on the thought, arms wrapped around himself. No, he can't tell him the truth, even if it's Ranboo. "I... yeah, I'm fine," he said with a dry chuckle, forcing a slight smile, but Ranboo's eyes stared straight through him. He playfully punched his arm. "You don't need to worry! That ugly mutt didn't stand a chance!" 

He regretted speaking when Ranboo seemed suspicious, and his smile faltered. Then, in the back of his mind, he heard... voices, and he looked behind him, expecting to find Tubbo and Ghostbur, but they were still inside the house. They weren't too far away, but he shouldn't be able to hear their conversation so clearly. 

"Ghostbur, please, explain to me what happened. That wolf in the forest... we found Dream's mask in Logsted, broken and bloodied, but he isn't with you. Tommy's acting strange, is he actually hurt? Who's blood was spilled in Logsted? Ghostbur, if Tommy is seriously hurt and you won't let us help," Tubbo pressured on, the frustration clear in his voice. 

His breath hitched upon hearing Ghostbur's frantic response, struggling to maintain his composure and keep up the lie. "Tubbo, Tommy is fine. I... I'm not sure what happened, I found Tommy on his own. I don't know what happened to Dream or where he is now, but I can assure you Tommy sustained no injuries, if he did, then I would tell you. Please, trust me, Tubbo." He sounded more serious than his usual self, more... more like Alivebur, Wilbur. Neither said anything else after that.

Before he could do anything, a private message popped up. From Ghostbur; **_"we can't leave yet. They'll get suspicious, I need to talk to Phil."_**

They've really doomed themselves, and now, they can't leave without a plan. It'll be fine, the full moon hasn't arrived yet, they still have time to figure things out, and Techno went to receive the wolfsbane. If he arrives back before the full moon arises, and the two of them can get home in time, then everything will be fine. 

_**"Okay."** _

They just need to work everything out, and perhaps in the meantime... he can enjoy this short reunion. "Ranboo, can you show me what's new around L'manberg?" He asked. The question caught his friend off guard a little, but he agreed. 

"U-uh, sure, if you're feeling up for it. A lot really has changed since... you got exiled." Once this is all over and done with, and he's cured, will he have to return to Logsted, or will he be welcomed back to L'manberg with open arms, like nothing changed? If the second option is a possibility, then under no circumstances can anyone learn the truth. "Is it just me, or have you grown a bit taller? I'm... sure you have, you used to only be up to here before."

The two were about to leave, but a voice froze Tommy in his tracks. "I'm going to talk to Tommy, he'll give me an explanation. Where is he?" He sounded so close by, Tommy thought he stood just right behind him. In a few moments, he would be. 

"Your eyes look a little different, too. Huh. Tommy? Um, you sure you're feeling okay?"

And although after all this time, all he desperately wanted was to reconnect with his long lost friend and be together again... he'll have to stay away, for the safety of both of them. Just for a little longer, until they can get this sorted, and then, just like he dreamed, they can live happily under L'mamberg again, facing whatever future problems together. 

"Yeah... yeah, let's go, Ranboo." 

He got to see a bit of what's new around L'manberg last night, but his recollection was fuzzy, and he didn't get to see much of it. Now that Ranboo showed him around, bringing him to the Christmas decorations and such, more had changed than he thought, and for the better. It could just be a coincedence with the timing, as Ranboo stated, but something told Tommy he only said that to save his feelings. He couldn't blame him for trying, but it wasn't working.

L'manberg greatly improved when he left, and sure, some of it could be coughed up for just rough timing, since new L'mamberg hadn't been too far in development before his exile. He tried not to focus on the negative aspects of things, and simply take in the beauty of everything, as he had to admit they'd done a great job. He only wished he could have been around when it all happened. 

He noticed Ranboo sneaking quick glances at him, pursing his mouth into a thin line and furrowing his brows, he seemed almost confused. He'd always turn away and start going on about the developments of L'manberg or something else along those lines when he'd catch on. He thought back to Ranboo's comments, but shook them off. If he did look different in even the smallest way, then Tubbo definitely would have said something about it, or Ghostbur or anyone else. He still looked himself, and was just... overthinking things, is all. 

As time went on, his mood drastically improved. His worries ceased, for the time being, he could enjoy being back at home, the place he belongs. They were still wandering around L'manberg, there was just so much to see, and by Ranboo's words "he had missed a lot". He truly has, but at least he could the chance to see it all in person. 

"Can, can I help out with some of the decorations?" He asked, stopping in front of the fenced up ice rink. They had basically already finished decorating, they didn't have long before Christmas, and then they'd spend hours upon hours taking it all down. It'd be worth it, though, for just one day of celebration for how far they've come, between friends, allies. 

But a little more holiday spirit won't hurt anybody. Ranboo smiled, admiring the festives alongside him. "Of course you can, Tommy."

His heart swelled, and he couldn't wait to start building. He already had so many ideas, he just needed the materials and a place to start, and then they'll all be amazed by what he comes up with. Maybe a few of them will tease him and poke fun at his wondrous creation he worked so hard on, but... he won't mind that, either. 

A sharp sound broke him from his train of thought, and he spun around, hand on his diamond sword sticking out from his back pocket, and claws out. A hand on his shoulder pulled him back, and he swiped with his claws and a hand grabbed his wrist. 

"Tommy, it's just Quackity!"

He'd almost scratched Ranboo's face, his claws just inches away from his skin. Pulling back his hand, Tommy let go of his sword and turned his head. Not far from them, the footsteps he'd heard had came from Quackity, astonished at what he'd just witnessed. Realization settling in, Tommy began to tremble, backing away. 

Did that count as losing control? He'd just heard something, he assumed to be a mob despite the broad daylight, and something in his mind snapped. If Ranboo hadn't caught his hand, his claws would have ran right across his face, surely leaving a scar.

He looked back to Quackity, clearing his throat. "H-hey!" He greeted, his voice shaking. Quackity didn't look convinced, a little freaked out, understandably. Tommy didn't dare spare a glance at Ranboo, he couldn't imagine the thoughts running through his head. His own repeated the words; _why, why, why._

"Hey... I didn't know you were back. You're not exiled anymore?" He asked, hesitantly approaching the two. 

Tommy forced on a strained grin, but couldn't mask his nerves. "Y-yeah, I'm back, baby! You miss me?"

"Uh, no."

He narrowed his eyes, and scoffed. 

"Well, too bad, bitch! Because I'm here to stay." He can only hope that statement's true. "Come on, Ranboo! Show me where I can place my decorations!" His thoughts kept repeating the same words in his head, to the point it could drive him insane if it continued long enough. _Run, run, run,_ and he couldn't obey them fast enough. His eyes couldn't hide his panic, as he tightly gripped Ranboo's sleeve with a shaky hand, dragging him along. 

"Uh, right along. Quackity, did you want to come join us?" He asked, and Tommy's heart skipped a beat. He peered over his shoulder at Quackity, who was about to answer, but then he locked eyes with Tommy. He forgot what he was meant to say, thoughts coming to a stop as Tommy's dark, terrifying eyes stared him down. They were inhuman, is the first thing that came to mind, how his pupil was slit, and it's been a while since they last talked, but he knew for a fact that his eyes didn't use to be blue _and_ amber.

"N...no, no thanks. I've got work to do at El Rapids, but if you see Sapnap or George, come tell me, alright?" He asked, unable to tear his eyes away. He blinked, and Tommy had turned his attention elsewhere. He let out a long, heavy sigh of relief he'd been holding in, his shoulders falling. Not wasting anymore time, he backed away, keeping his gaze on Tommy for a few more moments, his muscles tensed, prepared to make a run for it the moment Tommy turns his head, and he can't explain why. 

"Oh, uh, alright then! I will! See you, Quackity!" Ranboo bid farewell, and Quackity spared him a quick, worried glance before turning on his heel, and evacuating the area suspiciously fast. Ranboo hummed, a little perplexed by their encounter, but shrug it off without a second thought. "Alright, let's get going then, Tommy, I think I know the perfect place for your decorations."

"...Right." 

«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶«̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ × ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶̶̶ ̶»̶ ̶̶̶ ̶ ̶

"So, how are we supposed to track down this... thing?" George asked. Exiting the Nether portal, Dream, George and Sapnap found themselves within the familiar territory of Logstedshire, or more commonly known as Tommy's new home.

Sapnap thought on the question for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders. "Don't really have a clue, to be honest," he answered truthfully. George sent him a look that only made him raise his shoulders and send him a questioning look right back at him. Dream rolled his eyes at the two, quietly sighing to himself.

"It's this way," he said, stepping forward, he led the way. As he ventured through the area, all his senses were heightened to the point it could become overwhelming. He almost refused to leave the house because the moment he stepped outside, everything became too much. 

He winced, pressing a hand to the side of his head. The quietest sounds, such as harmless mobs moving around were so loud now, and this deafening, ringing that would come out of nowhere and he couldn't do anything about it until it passes. The symptoms would eventually die down and he'd get used to it, and he knew for a fact he'll have to put up with it for a while. 

They passed through Logsted, and came to a stop. "Dream? What are you doing?" Sapnap asked, sure that they would follow the blood trail into the trees. He followed his gaze to a random, bloodied patch on the ground. 

He turned away, and took out flint & steal from his pocket. Sapnap's eyes widened, but the words couldn't get out fast enough, nor did his hand reach in time. He'd knocked the items out of his hand only too late, the wooden building going up in flames. George and Sapnap watched it all burn down, but Dream continued on his way, following the blood trail. After a few moments, they followed. 

As they trailed behind Dream's footsteps, they anxiously awaited what they'd find. Sapnap's mind flashed back to the fear in Tommy's eyes, he was just a kid, and he'd already been through so much. The blood could either belong to solely the werewolf, or it could be a combination of two. When they came to a halt, he was stunned at their discovery. 

Dream crouched down in front of the deceased beast, the werewolf that had attacked them so vigorously laid dead. At least they wouldn't have to worry about hunting it down. They could collect what they came for right here and now.

Dream poked at it with a stick, and both George and Sapnap recoiled at the horrific sight, shielding their eyes and turning away. Dream only huffed, standing up. "Look's like someone was here before us," he noted. Someone else had already taken the heart, and at first, they didn't understand what that meant. 

Sapnap removed his hands from his eyes, and took a look around. There was blood, a lot of it, too much of it to only be the werewolf's. Which, unfortunately, only meant one other thing. Exactly what he and George feared, but convinced themselves not to believe. However, as Sapnap fell to his knees with a heavy sigh, contemplating the lost life of a poor, sixteen-year-old boy who still had so much ahead of him, questioning if it was somewhat his fault, something dawned on him.

Dream noticed it, too. 

Sapnap quickly stood up, stumbling back into George, who hadn't pieced it together yet. "Wait, hold on, if Tommy's body isn't here and the heart's missing, then that means..." 

Dream smirked behind his mask, the smoke from Logsted catching up to them. Dream chuckled, as if he found this amusing, kicking the beast over on its side. "It looks like I'm not the only one cursed. This'll be fun." 


	8. Look at the desperate man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song; Take me apart by Syml

Three days. 

George jolted awake with a gasp, falling off his chair. He hit the ground with a thud, his glasses clattering to the floor in front of him. Grumbling, he picked them up and sat up, rubbing his eyes. 

"Mornin'," Sapnap greeted, laying badly positioned on a chair in front of him. It was clear he'd just recently woken up, too. 

A silence filled the air, Sapnap looked away from him, staring at nothing in particular, his eyes wandering the small house that George had to build extensions onto ever since Dream arrived. They'd been hiding out here since... everything started, which was only what, one, two days ago. Quackity and Karl were wondering where they were, or maybe they weren't. They might have already figured out that they'd returned to Dream as his "lackeys", and George was about to deny it in his head, but stopped himself. 

They're Dream's friends... somewhat. After everything that's happened, he's not sure where Sapnap stands on this, and since Dream re-entered his life, he can't be certain about himself, either. Dream had gone against Sapnap when George was the main focus, claiming that he was making George turn against him, when he did have some influence, and helped him see the truth. Or, he assumed it was the truth during that time, but now, he... doesn't know. 

They were all so close once, the three of them, they shared an unbreakable bond. But now, that 'bond' was barely holding itself together, or perhaps it'd already broken, and they just hadn't realized it yet. Or more so, they don't _want_ to. Because if they do, if they acknowledge how they've fallen from grace, it's all downhill from there, and now isn't exactly the right time to have a falling out. 

"So... Tommy, he's..." 

"Cursed, turned, whatever you wanna... yeah, I guess so."

George's heart ached, and he painfully recalled the somewhat recent events. It almost felt like it happened just days ago... he wishes he could turn back time, stop it from happening. Tommy's exile. The panic spreading across his pale face was a permanent image burned into his brain; he realized all too late he was being backed into a corner, and had no hope of escape. He'd done it to himself, too, acting out of desperation and although he would never flat out admit it; fear. 

Nobody blames him, he's only a kid, after all. A sixteen year old boy who's already been through so much, he didn't need more trauma. Everyone should have known that, and yet, things still played out the way they did. He wasn't even that angry about his house anymore, it'd been a quick, easy fix, and he brushed off the fact he'd been stolen from, he hardly cared about those common items he could just gather again himself. Yet, everyone had made it such a big deal; Dream had. He told George he'd take care of it, and before he knew it, they were discussing Tommy's future.

He should have said something against it, but Dream was so... so determined, to have _justice,_ when there was none to be served. Tommy could be punished, lightly, and that'd be enough. He didn't deserve to be exiled out of his only home, the same country he fought and risked his life for, actually lost two of his lives to save. The guilt remained in his system, left with a bitter aftertaste when the final decision was made. Tommy had been so confident, or maybe stubborn was the right word. He refused to give in, that's it, he stood his ground against Dream. But in the end... without his friends and companions, he hardly stood a chance.

George wasn't there to watch him be exiled, he made up excuses as to why he had to leave, but in reality; he wouldn't be able to stomach it. He wouldn't be able to just, watch him be kicked out when a part of him hoped that there was still some way that miracle kid could turn this around and save himself, even if it meant going up against Dream; and that... wouldn't end well. But deep down, he, and everyone else knew that if they did so, then another war would break out in L'manberg. More lives would be lost, and... it wasn't a risk anyone was willing to take, understandably. 

But couldn't there have been another way? Anything. 

George told himself Tommy would be fine. He's strong, and stubborn, he has a courageous heart that will never bend to anyone. But he had Dream by his side, and... although he had no clue of the real extent of it; he'd began to lose sight of the masked man he knew as his friend and what he'd become. A bloodthirsty tyrant with a lust for war. 

Then, a rollercoaster of emotions hit him dead-on. 

_"Just say you hate me."_

_"I care about you, George?"_

_"Oh really,"_ he'd snapped, balling his hands into fists, he approached Dream and grabbed him by his collar, despite the height difference. He glared daggers directly at him, through the mask right into his eyes, and tightened his grip. But he crumbled apart so quickly, he lost his strength and he just wanted to fall to his knees. _"I can tell when you're lying Dream, and it's not helping."_

He'd left with Sapnap to El Rapids, into the arms of Quackity and Karl. They became close friends, they formed bonds with them, and things were alright. But the image of Dream lingered in the back of George's head, unable to get rid of his voice, his lovable, goofy laugh... they were things he could never forget, and once a blessing, became a horrible curse. 

Then, Dream kept coming back, sticking his nose into places he doesn't belong. George wanted to yell, to shout and punch, let everything out and tell him to get out of his life, once and for all... but things didn't end the way he imagined. He blew up El Rapids, and as Quackity yelled at them to get out of there and it isn't worth it, George refused. He stared down Dream, and Punz... and it dawned on him, everything. 

He doesn't care about him. 

He left El Rapids, left everyone and retreated to his little cottage that started this in the first place. Honestly, he was somewhat tempted to burn it down himself. But for obvious reasons he didn't, and until Sapnap arrived, carrying a bleeding Dream that narrowly escaped death, he'd been residing peacefully by his lonesome. Honestly, he wishes he still was. Sapnap could have taken him to anyone else... almost anyone else. But why him, of all people? There were other people Dream depended on now. Punz, Captain Puffy, Eret... and yet, Sapnap brought Dream back to _him._

He hid his resentment and anger, of course, Dream was in pain and critical condition, he had to push his emotions down for the time being. But then it turned out he'd been bitten by a... a werewolf, which he could still hardly believe, but it's the truth. So now, they dragged him into this horrible mess, as if things weren't bad enough already. He can't retreat to Quackity and Karl, his absence and return would only raise suspicion, and he'd be leaving Sapnap behind, too. Although things have been kind of rough with him too, now, because of this whole situation. 

He suggested himself going out to collect the dreaded wolfsbane, a journey which would take days, and they were already wasting too much time sitting around discussing their plans. The full moon was only four days away, they needed to hurry up if they wanted to make this cure in time. Although Dream isn't showing much concern towards the massive problem, he's the only one _not_ freaking out, saying that he already knows they won't be able to get everything in time. And now, they're missing one of the ingredients, with the heart of the werewolf missing...

Dream stated what they were all thinking; Tommy wouldn't know what to do on his own, he probably doesn't even know werewolves exist, well, now he does. Meaning he has somebody else on his side, and strangely, Dream confidently said that the said person was either Technoblade, Philza, or both. Then again, there's not really anybody else. 

They had two options, or maybe a few more they hadn't discussed yet. They now know that Tommy is also actively seeking out the items required for the antidote, and he's already beat them to one. The only other thing they need is the wolfsbane, but to do that they'll have to travel far, and Dream said it could take days, which they don't exactly have with the full moon due soon. Because of the time it'll take to find wolfsbane, Tommy can't have it, either, but he does have the werewolf's heart, which they need if they want to help Dream. 

So, they could either take it with force... or, come to a compromise. 

It'll be easier with all of them working together, but Tommy isn't exactly on good terms with Dream. The two parties are sworn enemies, but they're both in a difficult position right now. So, even if Tommy stands his ground and swears that he would never side with Dream no matter the circumstances, the full moon is only a few days away. When that happens, they're both screwed, and so surely, Tommy must want to choose the safest option and save himself. 

If not, they... can take the heart, and whatever else they have with force. That's what Dream suggested, and George and Sapnap hid their hesitance. Tommy has already been through so much, and now, to take away his only hope of healing himself of this curse...

They're really hoping that when it comes down to it, they team up. For both of their sakes.

"Hey... where is Dream?" George asked, noticing their friend was nowhere in sight. From what he can recall, they "calmly" discussed their options, but Sapnap and Dream broke into an argument, and Dream questioned if they were taking pity on Tommy, acting more concerned over his wellbeing rather than his. And, of course, while Dream was their close friend, Tommy was still only a child. At this point, they aren't getting anywhere and while they want to help Tommy, they're really the ones who need _his_ assistance. Dream has always been intimidating to the point it isn't funny, but now, with his increasingly short-temper, added strength and height, they won't stand a chance once night falls in three days.

The door swung open, slamming against the wall so hard George thought it'd break. Standing at the door, claws digging into the wooden door, mask missing, along with his shoes and socks oddly enough, was Dream. Stepping inside, he brushed off leaves and twigs from his clothes with a scoff. 

Sapnap exchanged confused looks with George, then turned to Dream and cleared his throat. His body instinctively tensed up when Dream's eyes fell on him, sharp, piercing straight through him, and even more animalistic and golden than the previous day. Sapnap blinked in surprise, regaining his composure. 

"Uh, where were _you?_ " He asked, and instead of immediately answering, Dream's eyes wandered to George, who flinched, but stared right back at him. The memories of their past arguments ran through his head, they... weren't exactly on the best terms, as of yet, despite working together. They hadn't had a conversation mentioning the past and making amends, either, and probably never will as far as he's concerned. 

Dream turned away, stretching his arms and popping his joints rather loudly, causing George to slightly wince at the sounds. "Beats me. Woke up in the middle of nowhere, started making my way back home," he explained with a small shrug of his shoulders, saying it oh so casually. 

George and Sapnap exchanhed looks. First, the new strength, height, claws, eyes and teeth. Secondly, his increasingly short temper; he claimed his senses became heightened to almost everything and it became so overwhelming he could easily snap. Because of that, he preferred staying home until yesterday, when they headed to Logstedshire and... discovered the truth. He was already growing reckless before all this, sticking his nose into everybody's business, causing trouble across the land and no one had both the courage and strength to go against him. Now, he'd become unstoppable.

And now, he's what, waking up outside? So he sleepwalks now, great. What's next? A new goddamn pair of ears and tail?

"Anyways, we're heading to Technoblade's base. Since Tommy isn't at Logstedshire, he's most likely there, or L'manberg," Dream stated, grabbing his mask. His face, along with his entire body was covered in a multitude of horrific scars ranging from all sizes, and while his new werewolf genes could heal new wounds, the old ones remained, possibly because of what caused them. George only knows where half of them came from, and they're mainly the small, minor ones with easy explanations. He can't even begin to imagine how he received the other half, but he learned not to ask.

"I'm sorry?" Sapnap rose to his feet, understandably annoyed. "We aren't going to talk it out first?" 

Dream thought for a moment as he slipped his mask on, he snatched up a few items on the table and turned to face Sapnap. He tilted his head with a blank stare, whereas Sapnap narrowed his eyes, hands balled into fists and George... didn't know what to do. They shouldn't be fighting, or they'll stay where they have been for the past few days, trapped. Why can he never find the words to say?

"Dream," his voice came out just above a whisper, but Dream's attention instantly shifted to him. His throat went dry, carefully deciding his next words. "Tommy... if we help him, he helps us, right?" He said, to no reply from the man. His eyes stared straight into his through the mask covering his entire face, expression hidden away. "He's a _kid,_ Dream... can't you judge, forget about the discs and whatever grudge you have on him, until we get this sorted out?" 

He's trying to compromise with a tyrant, a man who's clearly lost his way, or perhaps, he's been going down this path from the very beginning. He wants answers, both he and Sapnap desperately wish to know what happened to the man that was once their close friend, their friendship filled with laughter and joy, all that had been reduced to ashes. "Dream, please."

The netherite sword in his hand vanished, and he glanced at Sapnap, before turning away. 

"Fine, we'll try to make a "deal" with him, but if he chooses to decline... we take the heart, and leave," he answered in a stern, cold voice that most would overlook, but George knew something lingered behind that voice. "Technoblade's base is back near Logstedshire, in the snowy biome. It won't take us long to get there, so grab whatever you think you'll need and meet me outside when you're ready." With that, not allowing for anyone else to speak, he walked out, slamming the door shut behind him.

A heavy weight was lifted off of George's shoulders, Sapnap must have felt the same, letting out a long sigh he brushed a hand through his hair, his tough facade fading. 

"What are we supposed to do..." he mumbled, sitting down. George glanced at him, a deep frown etched onto his face he tugged at the tightly wrapped bandages around his hand. In all honesty, he doesn't have a single clue. 

"What we discussed... we'll go to Tommy and, make a deal with him so we both have the antidote." He's not even sure if that's an actual outcome; will there be enough for two people, or will it have to come down to one? If that's the case, it only boils down to Dream winning in the end, as he always does, and George can't be sure if he likes that alternative or not. 

"Do you really think he's going to do that? Maybe the old Dream would, but..." Sapnap trailed off, not needing to continue to get the point across. George's heart ached as he thought back to all the fun times they had, before L'manberg, the war, everything that ruined... everything. He wishes they could go back to that point in time, if only temporarily, and experience peace again. Sadly... that's not possible.

George shook his head, walking to the door. "Where are you going?" Sapnap asked, standing up.

"Out, to talk with Dream," George answered before leaving, the door still partly open. Sapnap watched the door slightly move back and forth with the wind, and balled his hands into fists. He isn't liking where this is going.

Dream stood not far from the house, past the fence gate, leaning against a tree staring up at the sky with his mask off. He slid down to the tree to the ground, pressing his head against his hand with a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes. He craved silence, peace, but he could hear everything. The mobs far off in the distance, the wind ruffling the leaves, running water coming from a nearby waterfall, he could hear everything within the area, whether he'd liked to or not. 

It could be considered serenity, the sound of the wildlife and nature. That's what he first thought upon waking up and hearing it all, it almost made the curse seem more like a gift. But he was soon proven wrong, as it became louder, and louder, he just wanted to run away and get away from the sounds, but he couldn't. They were inside his head, driving him insane. He only managed to calm down when he was inside, but even then it could get too loud for his liking. 

Just the other day, he'd been inside the house, sitting in the corner with his hands over his ears to block out the noise, but it didn't do a thing. He heard a faint sound different than the rest, and opened his eyes. He lashed out accidentally, slashing at George's outreached hand. It's fine, it'll heal, it'll fade away because it's only a scratch.

As it turns out, any wound from a werewolf remains a scar. He hadn't noticed until then how untouched he was; hadn't lost a single life, didn't even receive a single scratch on his skin until then. He warned them, tried to get them to let him leave and figure out everything on his own, it's not like he couldn't handle it. He can't understand why they made him stay, if they aren't even friends anymore.

Are they...?

Laughter filled his mind, so loud and clear that he genuinely thought it was real. Of course, they were only mere memories of the past. So, so long ago... too long ago. 

He could blame their separation on Quackity, for taking both Sapnap and George away from him. He'd said, out of frustration, that Sapnap is to blame for trying to take George away from him, filling his head with these ideas that he doesn't care for him. Of course he does, he always has, and that's never changed. He cares for Sapnap too, and although those feelings have wavered in recent times and conflict ensued... he didn't mean it, the words he said. 

_"Just say you hate me."_

The pain reflected in his eyes from that moment, even now, leaves an impact on him. He'd finally snapped, and broke down at his fingertips. If Sapnap hadn't brought him to George, no... either way, their conflict still remains. They haven't had an actual conversation since then, only discussing their plan to help him find the cure, and that's good. They want to help, but to say hypothetically once they do, and this is all over... what will become of them? Tommy is exiled from L'manberg, he needs to keep an eye on him wherever he may be he doesn't exactly care. George and Sapnap will retreat to Mexican L'manberg, or... El Rapids, and that'll be the end of their broken ties. No recovery, no making up.

"Dream?" 

The familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts, and his body acted on instinct; the same thing playing out again. Except this time George dodged, taking a step back he avoided getting injured once more, and it would have been his face this time. 

They locked eyes, for only a moment before Dream grabbed his mask and put it on, standing up. "Are you ready to go?" He asked in a blank voice, and looking over George's shoulder, to his surprise Sapnap was nowhere to be seen. His heart sank.

George wore a sheepish expression, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah... but um, can we talk for a moment, Dream?" 

Dream's breath hitched, his body tensing up. _Not now,_ is all he could think, repeating in his head. 

"Dream? Hey, I'm trying to talk to you!" George called out when Dream turned on his heel, and began walking away without making a noise. George of course, chased after him, and because he couldn't go too far from the house, George easily caught up and grabbed him by his arm, yanking him back to a stop. Staring up at Dream with narrowed eyes as he caught his breath, he hesitated before letting go, and taking a small step back. "Dream."

"Yes?"

He narrowed his eyes into a glare, but didn't appear intimidating in the slightest. Again, Dream was reminded of their confrontation, the same words spoken to him haunting him. 

"We need to talk," as he spoke those words, his voice was uncharacteristically low, trapping Dream in place. He's thankful the mask hides his entire face, and emotions.

"About what?"

George appeared bewildered at his simple, quick remark, but he made it clear he wasn't playing around. "Don't, don't do this, Dream. Do you want things to go back to the way they were, or not?" He asked, almost pleadingly as he stepped closer, barely any space between the two of them. He looked into Dream's eyes, his expression softening as he awaited a response, anything. 

There are few moments where Dream feels cornered, and is at a loss for words. This happens to be one of those rare moments, and he'd do anything to get out of it without only making matters worse. George continued to wait, growing visibly sadder by the second, opening his mouth Dream swore he heard a silent "please". 

He'd give the world to have what he had in the past; peace, friendships... a place to call home, that's all he's ever wanted, but never had. Everyone is always against him, stopping him from reaching his one singular goal in the end; and it's only getting further, and further away. 

"Hey, I'm ready to go. Guys?" Sapnap's voice coming out of nowhere broke the tension between them, shattering it into a million pieces. George broke away, shoulders raised, rubbing his arm as he mumbled something under his breath.

Sapnap cautiously approached, when he came to a stop, his eyes widened and he went 'oh' as it dawned on him. Silence fell upon them, and it quickly became suffocating. George glared holes into the floor beneath his feet, nails digging into his palms. 

Dream's gaze lingered on his briefly, before turning away. "Let's get going, then," he said nonchalantly, and led the way. 

The journey to Technoblade's house seemed a lot longer than it really was, they would've believed they spent a whole hour when in reality, it'd only been twenty-thirty minutes. The tension between them had returned, and the cold air didn't help. They didn't have the proper clothes in order to withstand the freezing temperatures, and Dream was the only one wearing armor. 

George hadn't uttered a word since they left, arms shoved into his pockets and avoiding any eye-contact, he was quite literally seen shivering. Normally, he'd complain at least once or twice about the temperature, which would lead Dream and Sapnap to joke about it and tease him for not coming prepared, although in reality none of them were, not for the cold, or what they were about to face. This time, there were no jokes to liven up the horrible mood, nothing at all, but silence as harsh winds blew; the only sound asides from their footsteps in the thick layers of snow.

They didn't have the right boots, either, and so Sapnap got his foot stuck in the snow and fell face first into it, losing his shoe. Dream stopped, quietly letting out an unheard chuckle, but his growing smile vanished as George helped him to his feet. "Be careful, you big oof," he quietly scolded, but Sapnap only rolled his eyes at him. As he hopped back to retrieve his shoe, George accidentally locked eyes with Dream. His expression hardened into a glare, and this time, it actually had an effect. He didn't stare for much longer, Sapnap returning, they exchanged soft words Dream didn't bother listening in on. 

Soon enough, they arrived at their destination. There was no turning back now, they needed to do this if they wanted to get anywhere with their plan. 

As George and Sapnap stood still, hesitating to continue, Dream bravely proceeded and knocked on the door. 

Technoblade... George and Sapnap hadn't encountered the man too much, but he was surely a threat to be reckoned with. The man who never dies, but everyone falls to the mercy of death at his fingertips. Blood for the blood god, as he says, and neither are willing to find out what that means. 

Inside, Phil impatiently paced back and forth, collecting potions from chests and shoving them into his inventory in a rush. "Stupid, stupid kids," he muttered, shaking his head. "I leave them alone for _one_ second, and they've ran off to L'manberg, when I strictly told them not to, under any circumstances. Now I have to go and collect those brats and bring them back safely," he sighed. 

At least he isn't wanted, or exiled from the country, so he has no problem entering. Tommy is, indeed banned however, and when he heard where they were from Wilbur, or, Ghostbur, he assumed that the two were in hiding and trapped. Yet to his surprise, he was informed that Tommy had been welcomed back with open arms, only because Tubbo assumed his best friend had lost his last life to... the werewolf he came across. So, they knew about that, but appearently, Tubbo only sees it as a regular wolf, as bizzare and mutated as it appears, that's a good thing. 

So, he doesn't know that Tommy was bitten by a werewolf, nor is turning into one. He also doesn't know that Tommy had been residing with Technoblade and Phil, which would have been indifferent, he supposes. Technoblade is wanted for kind of blowing up L'manberg, only after Wilbur blew it all up... but there's nothing they can do while he's outside of L'manberg, and they have no idea where he lives. But, to cut the explanation short, he needed to somehow make it to L'manberg, and secretly bring Tommy back to Technoblade's house because the full moon is in three days, Technoblade still hasn't returned with the wolfsbane, and worst case scenario; Tommy is still in L'manberg when the full moon rises.

"Where did I put the─" He was interrupted by a knock on the door, and his heart did a somersault in his chest. "Techno? It hasn't even been two days! That's my boy!" Jumping to the conclusion Techno had arrived home early, he hurried down the stairs to open the door and greet him. However, to his horror... 

"Oh, Philza, wasn't expecting you to answer." Instead of Techno, Dream stood outside the door, and standing behind him were George and Sapnap; neither seemed prepared for a fight, but Phil wasn't taking any chances. His smile disappeared, and he glared at Dream before slamming the door shut, but Dream happily let himself in. 

"What do you want, Dream?" Phil asked, standing in front of him so he couldn't move any further. The venom in his voice and the look on his face intimidated both George and Sapnap, who'd never meet the man in person before, but heard stories of him and he too, was not someone they wanted to mess with. Yet, somehow, Dream stood tall against him, inspecting the room from where he stood, he listened for any noise from upstairs.

He glanced down at a box by his side, and opened it, only to find it empty. He hummed, looking back at Phil. "Is Tommy around, by any chance?" He asked, tilting his head back he stared up at the upper floors. Before he could climb the ladder, however, Phil intervened, making him back away. 

"No, he isn't," he answered coldly, his tone further intimidating George and Sapnap, who made sure to keep their distance, remaining outside the house but just by the door. 

A few seconds of silence passed as Dream listened for anything; the accidental drop of an object, hushed voices, footsteps even or shuffling, but to his slight surprise, he heard none of the sort. "Huh," he simply said, and glanced down at Phil. "I guess he isn't. That's all, then, I'll be taking my leave now,," he said politely with a little wave, then turned to exit. "I already know exactly where he is, L'manberg, right?"

Sapnap gasped, and George readied his sword, but gripped with a shaky hand.

Phil drew his sword, and pressed it against the side of Dream's neck, drawing a small trickle of blood. "You are not going anywhere near my son, you monster."

Sapnap and George remained frozen in place, waiting for the command to take action. But Dream hadn't even flinched, smiling behind his mask, he secretly motioned for George to lower his weapon, and hesitantly, he did. 

The tiny cut on his neck sealed itself together, not even leaving a scar. Phil was shocked at the sight, unintentionally loosening his grip on his sword, it slightly slid out of his grasp. 

Dream lowly chuckled, pulling down his mask, he turned his head and grinned at Phil, exposing his large, sharp teeth and bright amber eyes. "Oh, you don't know how right you are. What do you say we make a deal, old man?"


	9. We are one and the same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deal and arrangement must be made, for both of their sakes.
> 
> Song; My Demons by STARSET
> 
> This one's a bit intense

If you were to point out the hidden bond between Techno, or how he acts just a little "too" friendly towards the young boy, he would laugh in your face and brush it off. The two of them don't even lookalike, they're different species and aren't even really blood related at all, but while it may not be apparent at times, they share a close bond as brothers. No matter how Techno treats Tommy, they're brothers. They may have hit a rough patch, with Techno having "betrayed his trust" by setting off the Withers in L'manberg, though Wilbur literally blew it up and he... he's dead. Slain by their own adoptive Father, straight through the chest.

Yeah, he doesn't like thinking back to that. He hadn't witnessed the... murder, too distracted by all the chaos going on and when it all calmed down and he tried to reconnect with Wilbur, that's when he came across Phil and Wilbur's bleeding corpse. As much as he tries to erase the image from his mind, it's something he'll never forget for as long as he lives. Even though technically, Wilbur's still here, as a ghost... but Wilbur, who now goes by Ghostbur, informed him that they weren't in fact the same people. He and Wilbur, or Alivebur were two different people, despite their similarities...

He doesn't know how to feel about that. It took him so long to get over his death, unable to avenge him because of their Father, and now when he gets him back, apparently he hasn't. So, he prefers not to think back to those things, and avoid descending into a dark place that gets harder to escape the longer he stays. 

He'd just been recovering from everything in retirement, when Tommy had to reappear in his life on his deathbed. If he hadn't, though, Techno would have two deceased brothers and he only has three. 

Tommy was worse off than he originally thought; not only because of the werewolf bite. He was starved, dark bags under his eyes that didn't immediately vanish after a good night's rest or two, and his clothes were barely still intact. He was weak, so weak it physically hurt to see him in such a state. He barely survived, and Techno had already made a decision; he wasn't going back to Logsted or whatever he called his new home. Until he can return to L'manberg, if ever, he would be staying at his home. 

He was hesitant to leave him alone, even if he was with Phil and Ghostbur. Though he tried not to show it, Techno was genuinely afraid for the future, he couldn't be certain if he'd return home with the wolfsbane in time, and if he didn't... well, he didn't like to consider the other options, but they were always lurking in the dark spaces of his mind throughout his journey. It's not that he doubted Phil's capability, he would have easily made the journey to collect the wolfsbane the same as Techno, but he knew Tommy would feel a lot safer with him staying behind.

So he went off on his own, and though the weather became almost too harsh for even him to sustain, and it seemed he was heading nowhere after what felt like hours of trudging through the heavy snow, which at one point came up to his mid-waist. Things didn't get better when he eventually left the snowy terrain, the heat beckoning him in his clothes meant for a cold environment. Still, he persisted even when he found himself growing exhausted; an unfamiliar feeling, proving he was still mortal, despite the confident claims he "can never die". He wouldn't die, but he needed rest. 

He hesitated to do so, however. He needed to reach his destination as soon as possible and return home with haste, so they could create the antidote and can cure Tommy of this curse. He can't begin to put himself in the poor boy's shoes. Suddenly confronted by a creature of myth, and most likely believed he would die before he fell unconscious. Now, he's been cursed with something far worse than death.

There was a time where Techno didn't believe in the beast, either. He poked fun at Tommy's childish fear of them whenever the chance arose, as so would Wilbur, though not as much. As the two of them drifted away, and the fear became a thing of the past, Techno went off on his own courageous journey. That's when he separated fiction from real, coming face to face to such a beast. It'd been a emotional roller coaster of an encounter, and because of such, he learned how to make the antidote, in case for a future encounter.

He never thought it'd be like this.

He'd been gone for days now, it got to the point where he feared he wouldn't make it in time, going countless nights without sleeping and pushing himself past exhaustion, even now, as he's got the final ingredient, he refuses to slow down. There were only two days left until the dreaded full moon and he had the the blessed wolfsbane in his possession. His brother needed him, and unlike in the past, he wouldn't let him down.

When the old house was spotted in the distance, a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Finally, at long last he'd returned home, and he wasn't planning on leaving again in a very long time. Hopefully Tommy hadn't given Phil too much trouble, having a short temper and all which would only grow worse as the days went on, but they musn't worry no more. Or, at the very least, their problems decreased. They could make the antidote, but on the other hand, actually applying it was a different situation... it just has to be done on a full moon. 

His movements become sluggish as he neared his house he'd missed, but not as much as the residents inside. He'd only been gone for a few days, not even a week, yet it felt like almost an entire month. At long last, he's back, and they can get this all sorted out.

But the moment he pushed open the door and he was greeted by eery silence, something didn't seem right. The forming smile on his face dropped, and immediately he grew anxious as he stepped inside and searched the house. "Phil, Tommy, Ghostbur? Where'd you guys go?" He asked as he went from room to room, but didn't find a trace of them. The heart was still there. Though, everyone else weren't anywhere to be found, but a letter within a chest was placed in the middle of the room was.

He felt genuinely ill.

He cautiously opened the chest and inside was a book, left by none other than Dream.

_"Hey Technoblade! It's been a while. As you may have noticed, we borrowed your old pal, Phil, for a bit. We heard you have the heart of a werewolf and well, let's just say we're stuck in the same situation as you. So how about we make a deal, old friend? One that'll benefit both parties. Hope to hear from you soon."_

_Sincerely, your old friend Dre─_

He threw the book with all his might at the wall, and it broke through the window. They didn't have time for this, they were supposed to get working on the antidote as soon as he comes back, they don't have time to waste. And Dream knows that, why, would Dream of all people want the heart of a werewolf, let alone know they have one?!

...Oh.

They don't have time for this. He balled his hands into fists as the voices inside his head _screamed._ Saying things alone the lines of " _they took Philza",_ and _"you have to save him, save Philza!"_ And he wanted nothing more than to yell, and demand that they all shut up for once, although they've been rather tamed recently, asides from expressing their concern for Tommy. 

He hurried back down the ladder, searching through chests he took out potions, armor, and his weapons. He needed to go _now._ Lastly sharpening his sword and throwing on his armor, he headed to the door, but he paused. Sitting right beside him propped up on an anvil was an old photograph he had hidden away, which Phil or Ghostbur must have displayed. 

The photo was taken years ago, when everyone were still naive kids. Wilbur and Techno were only thirteen, Tommy and Tubbo were eight and it was their first group photo taken with Tubbo, who they found not long before the picture was taken. It was practically impossible to get a perfect photo of them together, he remembers that day clearly as if it happened only days ago.

Phil insisted on taking a photo of everyone, and told them all to huddle into frame. But soon enough, within mere seconds a fight had broken out between Tommy and Techno, that Wilbur tried to break up and Tubbo obliviously smiled into the camera; the only one who actually looked in its direction. As soon as Phil took the photo, he ran over to pull them apart, and they both got a scolding, but he kept the picture because he found it funny, laughing and holding it out of their reach as everybody insisted he trashed it and retake it.

Techno was given it when he first went on his adventure a few years later, and it didn't exactly look good as new with the corners singed and folded, and the photo-frame being the only thing holding the photograph together, which had been torn in half. Coincidentally, the tear was split in between Techno and Tubbo on one side, and Wilbur and Tommy on the other. The side with Wilbur and Tommy was the most damaged. 

He carefully took the photograph out of the frame, and carefully slipped it into his pocket with a heavy sigh. His voices had calmed down, and so had he. He gripped his sword, his knuckles turning white.

Dream was going to pay.

Phil still had only recently arrived to L'manberg and everything, he didn't know much about Dream. He knew vaguely about the fight of gaining independence, but from then onwards the main antagonist became Schlatt and Dream lured in the darkness, planning his next moves. Phil knew he had something up his sleeve when he exiled Tommy, it couldn't just be because he'd accidentally burnt down George's house. Although he hadn't been there to console his son, or anything of the sort. 

In short; he knew Dream was bad news, a guy not to be messed with, and he hadn't originally planned on crossing paths with the masked man, up until today. Standing in George's "burnt down" house, he was meant to make a negotiation with the man about... a few things, but one of them included his son's, Tommy's safety. Whether he told him his exact whereabouts or not didn't matter, Dream knew for a fact he was somewhere in L'manberg, where is the last place he's supposed to be. But, that isn't what Dream seems to care about; and that only makes things worse.

He recalls asking Tommy if there'd been anybody else around during the werewolf attack, and he answered no. Perhaps a little too quickly, cutting Ghostbur off, but he didn't think twice on it, the boy didn't have a reason to lie. But he did. And out of all people, it had to be Dream, who told Phil everything without a hint of hesitation. 

So, Tommy isn't the only one cursed.

With only two days until the full moon, both he and Dream are in desperate need of the antidote. The heart is still at Techno's house, oddly enough Dream didn't go searching for it, or ask Phil to. As he stated, his own words, he wanted this to be "peaceful", as if kidnapping was anything of the sort, although Phil had gone along willingly, he didn't exactly have a choice with so much at risk. 

"So, Phil, what's your answer? I'm sure there's enough to go around," Dream asked, after repeating himself for the third, or fifth time. Phil had been reluctant to answer; even now, while they were running out of time, and Dream was noticeably growing impatient. 

George and Sapnap stood by the door, weapons out, prepared for Phil to make an escape. He wasn't exactly tied down, he had no restrainments at all, nothing was stopping him from lashing out, he could easily take out both Sapnap and George in an instant. Dream, however, he couldn't be sure. He's already a tough opponent, someone to be feared, but with his new capabilities, his true strength is unknown. 

He drew his sword, they hadn't even taken any of his items. Not that he would hand them over. "My answer's no, and I am not letting you anywhere near my son again," he glared, unable to tell what the masked man was thinking, his face hidden by the mask. Then, he took one step forward, and he wasn't going to allow him to come any closer. 

Phil charged at Dream, who brought out his sword and shield to block, but to his surprise, Phil ran straight past him. 

Neither George or Sapnap had any time to react before they were both cut down. Sapnap first, he didn't even get the chance to speak or defend himself, before he vanished with a fatal swipe of a sword. All that was left of him was his items, and headband.

Next was George. "W-wait! Dream!" He cried, before being impaled straight through the chest, dropping his sword and shield. He fell to his knees, making eye-contact with Dream, before vanishing as well, leaving behind his glasses that clattered to the floor.

Phil whirled around to face the masked man and with one quick slash, slicing his mask in half and it fell to the floor. The bleeding cut across Dream's face healed within seconds, his eyes narrowed and dangerous as they glared at him.

Phil stiffened as the cold double-edged sword pressed against his neck. It was just the two of them now. 

"I said I wanted to do this _peacefully,_ " Dream scowled, tightening his grip. He appeared genuinely upset, strange, last Phil heard he didn't care about anything or anyone asides from himself, and Tommy's discs. When he didn't hear a response, he pressed the sword deeper into his skin, drawing blood, and yet Phil didn't even flinch. "They'll be back, and when they are─"

"Will they?" Phil mused, speaking calmly as he raised a brow. "I think they've realized they've lost, and you should, too." 

Dream gritted his teeth, eyes turning a dark shade of red with fury. He pulled his hand back, only to swing at Phil's bare neck with full force, moving almost too quick to watch. 

The attack was narrowly blocked by a shield, which was sliced in half. Taking advantage of the short opening, Phil aimed for his abdomen, but Dream gripped the tip of the sword with both hands. The blade sliced his palms, yet he held it with such force Phil struggled to move. Gripping the sword with both hands, Phil used his strength to raise his sword out of Dream's grasp, the tip coated in blood, and as Dream attempted to dodge the sword, it left a deep cut going up the right side of his face. 

One last swing, Phil thought, and the battle would be over.

Dream had his head lowered, disheveled hair falling into his face, large amounts of blood ran down his hands and face. 

Phil raised his sword, and as he swung down to finish the fight, Dream raised his head; eyes blood red, perfectly resembling that of a hungry wolf.

The top half of Phil's sword clattered to the floor, and the other half fell from his hand as he was shoved, or more like sent flying into the wall and collapsed to the ground holding his bleeding arm. Swearing under his breath, he tried to stand, but was kicked back down, a sword at his throat, and Dream standing on his chest with a wide, twisted grin. 

Droplets of blood hit Phil's cheek, but he was unable to move. 

Dream had to catch his breath, his eyes fading to normal, yet still appeared inhuman. His wounds stopped bleeding and sealed themselves up, not even leaving any scars. He let out a short laugh, "I'm impressed, Phil. You caught me off guard there, taking down my comrades, you really thought you could take me down by yourself?" He sounded amused. 

Phil couldn't even speak, frozen in fear that the tip of the blade would cut his throat. He only had one life left, yet acted like he still had some to spare. 

Dream sighed, leaning closer, he tilted his head with a smile curving the corner of his mouth. "So, Phil, what's it going to be? We can work together, just this once, and I'll still let you save Tommy."

Quick footsteps and muffled voices were heard, then the door swung open to reveal George and Sapnap. "Dream─" George cut himself off there, left speechless at the sight before him. Dream had won, of course he would. 

Dream sent a quick glance their way, only taking his eyes off Phil for a moment. In that span of two seconds, he reached out for the bottom half of his sword, still sharp enough to do some damage, and jabbed at Dream, who to his misfortune, caught it. Although the blade pierced his hand, causing more blood to leak out, he didn't flinch, and his smile remained, growing slightly larger.

"Time's ticking, better make your choice now." 

"Where is he?" Tommy asked, pacing back and forth. Currently, he was residing with Ghostbur in the ghost's "home" down in the sewers, away from prying eyes. For the past two minutes or so, he'd been anxiously pacing back and forth, muttering the same three words as Ghostbur watched. 

"I'm not sure, maybe he's... busy?" Ghostbur replied unsurely, and Tommy finally paused, and gave him the dumbest look. 

"Busy?"

Ever since they arrived here days ago, back at L'manberg, and realized they couldn't leave, they'd been awaiting Phil's appearance and he'll help escort them back to Techno's house. But they haven't even heard anything from him since two days ago, and it didn't make any sense. They were running out of time, the full moon is only two days away. Tommy had suggested that he and Ghostbur return home on their own, but they both knew it was too risky, they couldn't just show up and then leave all of a sudden, even if Tommy is meant to be exiled. 

Tubbo welcomed him back with open arms, but it was far from the happy reunion he dreamed of. Instead, he hardly spent any time around Tubbo, afraid that he would lose control and lash out again, and the anxiety wasn't helping that possibility. He's too dangerous, he doesn't want Tubbo to get hurt, because of him. Thankfully, he was busy with Presidental duties at the moment, allowing Tommy to sneak away with Ghostbur to the sewers and have a private conversation.

"Busy? He, he needs to get here, now! I need to go back!" Oh, how things had turned. He spent countless sleepless nights wishing he could return to L'manberg, his home, even if just for a few moments so he could be back with everyone, especially Tubbo, but now he wants nothing more than to return to the safety and comfort of Techno's home and Phil. He needed Phil. He needed, he needed to get away from here, but he can't.

And Ghostbur hardly knows what to do. He can't hug him, and his words only go through one ear and straight out the other. It's like he's not even here. 

"Tommy, I'm sure he'll be here soon! I'll send him another message," he assured, hiding the nervousness in his voice as he did just that, sending another private message to their Father, in his mind begging that he'll finally respond this time, unlike the five other times in just that day, and who knows how many Tommy sent. If he's preparing to come over and is just a little busy handling things, he would say that, right? Is he angry at them for running off when they weren't supposed to? Most likely, yes, but that shouldn't stop him from sending at least one message to reassure them. 

This... doesn't feel right. 

They can't stay down here forever, for the same reason they can't leave on their own. Although there's distance between Tommy and Tubbo now, Tubbo is hesitant to let his friend leave his sight, or anyone else's. Ghostbur can't blame him, Tubbo thought Tommy had died, after all, and he isn't too far off. There are also unanswered questions left in the open, such as where Tommy and Ghostbur went after the attack, he involvement of Dream, and why Tommy is dressed in the Antarctic Empire clothing when neither of them mentioned anything about Techno. 

As they exited the sewer, they overheard Quackity and Karl talking with Tubbo earlier, something about the disappearance of Sapnap and George, which Tommy paid no mind to, but Ghostbur listened in on for a few moments. Hearing that Sapnap and George haven't been seen since the day Tommy was attacked left him uneasy. He thought back to that day, and how Dream also got bitten... but pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind when Tommy called out to him. 

It was starting to get dark, which only made Tommy even more anxious, even though they still had time left. Not much, admittedly, but it wasn't too late yet. 

"It's fine, Tommy, it's going to be okay!" Ghostbur's attempts at calming him down were useless, he couldn't even be frustrated, just... sad, that he can't do more. 

"It's not fucking okay, Wil! What if, what if he doesn't show up, and the full moon comes and, and I hurt somebody─" it was starting to become too much. His hands clenched into shaky fists, he hadn't even noticed but his claws were stabbing his palms, drawing blood that dripped down his hands. If he doesn't calm down, something will definitely go wrong. 

Seeing him so upset, so wrecked and emotional, Ghostbur can't take it anymore. What happened to the bright, energetic loud mouth he knew? Never afraid of anything, or at least refused to show it, and always had a smile on his face. A lot happened to that young, admirable boy he once knew as his brother. Too much for a boy his age to handle, and it was finally getting to him; this is what breaks him.

"It'll be okay, Tommy, I promise. I won't let anything happen." He's not sure how it happened, his body moved on its own, his arms wrapping around Tommy's shaking body, and holding him close as tears brimmed the corners of his eyes. Just like that, everything stopped. He closed his eyes, resting his head against his transparent chest and lived in the moment of being able to hug his brother again, something he didn't realize how much he missed.

"Why did you have to die, Wil," he choked out, voice broken as tears streamed down his face. 

Ghostbur didn't say a word, but he could feel himself slipping away again, losing his form. He wanted to hold Tommy longer, this wasn't enough, in his mind he desperately begged for just a few more minutes, so he could console his brother. But nobody listened, and suddenly, Tommy fell straight through him and landed on his knees. 

"Tommy," Ghostbur said quietly, turning around. 

Tommy weakly rose to his feet, sniffling he wiped away the tears. "It's fine, Ghostbur..." he said just above a whisper. "It's fine."

No, it isn't. Ghostbur can try to make him feel better, but the truth is, if Phil doesn't get here soon, they're doomed. He was about to say something when he stopped himself, Tommy's head perked up and he stared at something straight past Ghostbur, who didn't get the chance to question it.

"He's here," Tommy said, then pushed past Ghostbur, arm phasing through him. Ghostbur followed his gaze, but couldn't see anyone. "I can sense him." Tommy's eyes were wide, his pupils dilated.

"What, what are you talking about?" Ghostbur asked, growing worried, but a smile spread across Tommy's face, and it dawned on him. 

_Phil._

"Wait, Tommy!" Without warning, Tommy sprinted off, leaving him in the dust barely able to catch up. 

He's not sure how, but he can sense him nearby, Phil. He knew he would come for him, of course he would, he's his son after all. He cares for him, he actually does, and now, he can bring them back home and they can get this all sorted out before the full moon.

He skidded to an abrupt stop, almost tumbling down the stairs. His smile wiped away, he felt weak, his body beginning to shake. In the pit of his stomach, an almost dead flickering flame expanded and grew out of control within his body, his eyes changing to the same, dark red colour his pupils shifted and his vision contorted. He gritted his teeth, and balled his hands into fists, digging his long claws into his palms. 

"Tommy! You shouldn't run off like that, what if someone─" Ghostbur finally caught up to him, but the remanining words got caught in his throat as he took in the sight before him. "P-Phil? Why is..." 

Phil did indeed stand at the Nether portal, but he wasn't alone. He showed no fear, but a sword was pressed against his neck, Dream's sword. 

"I thought you said you wanted to do this peacefully," Phil muttered, side-eyeing Dream who didn't meet his gaze. 

He grinned, locking eyes with Tommy. "Tommy! Last time I recall, you aren't supposed to be here. I can let it slide, however, if you can do one thing for me, see, Phil and I made a deal that─" he didn't get to finish.

Switching between fear and anger, Tommy could feel himself losing control, but at this point, he didn't quite care. "Let Phil go! Take me, whatever, I don't care! But don't you dare hurt him, you hear me?!" He yelled, taking one step closer. 

There was silence for a few moments, until Dream chuckled, and sighed. "Oh, Tommy, it's not you that I want. The antidote is what I want, and you, are going to give it to me. Okay? Or else," he demanded, slowly removing the sword from Phil, who didn't move an inch, and held it by his side. "So, Tommy, you'll do what I say, right?"

Tommy's heart sank, the look of fury on his face fading as panic ran through him. "I-I..." he couldn't get the words out, his body trembling. "I don't have the antidote, Dream, we don't have everything for it yet," he choked out. 

Dream tilted his head, his smile drooping. He sighed, lowering his head, and looking at his sword. Then, he took off his mask, and Tommy's breath hitched. He has no armor, only a diamond sword to defend himself with, and that's nowhere nearly enough. 

"Well, then, that's too bad."

"No!"

He acted without thinking, his body moved on its own accord. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Dream, diamond sword just inches away from his face. But before it could make contact, Dream grabbed onto the blade with one hand, his own sword in his other. Before he could counter-attack, Tommy dropped his sword, and clawed his way out; quite literally. 

"Tommy!" Phil grabbed onto his boy with both hands, but his arm still ached from earlier, and his grip loosened. Even though he was able to pull Tommy away and get some distance between him and Dream, he struggled to contain him, sharp claws digging into Phil's hands unintentionally. "Tommy! Stop!" 

Dream staggered back, a hand over his face. When he lifted his head and removed his hand, his face was covered in deep, bleeding scratches. "I don't think you want to do this, Tommy," he warned, wiping the blood that kept leaking out profusely. 

"Tommy, get, a, hold of yourself!" Phil shouted as Tommy struggled in his hold, claws continuing to dig deeper into his skin. Then, it became too much, and Tommy freed himself of his grasp, once again charging at Dream without thinking of the likely consequences. His mind was empty of thoughts, the fire within his body growing larger, the fuel his anger and adrenaline rushing through his veins. 

Dream only watched as he came closer, and hid away his sword, choosing a different tactic to use. "Let's see what you've got, then." 

Tommy leaped into the air, and came down, claws out, only for Dream to grab him by his shoulders, spin around, and send him flying. He soared, before crashing down to the ground, letting out a pained cry, and rolled a short distance before his body went limp. Ghostbur and Phil looked on in horror. "Tommy!" 

Ghostbur ran over to his aide, and Phil took out his sword, turning to Dream. "You've taken this too far, Dream," he warned as he approached the masked man, only to freeze in place as someone else came through the portal.

"I'm right with you, Phil." Techno pressed his crossbow against the back of Dream's head, readied to shoot at any given second. Beside him were Sapnap and George, both looking away, ashamed. 

Techno's eyes wandered, and following Ghostbur, landed on Tommy. "No..." he almost dropped his crossbow, unable to believe his eyes. Tommy laid on the ground, un-moving. 

His eyes shifted back to Dream, and he pulled the trigger. But the moment he did so, George shoved him out of the way, causing the crossbow to fire off at a different direction and slip out of his hand. The firework hit the ground, causing an explosion that temporarily blocked everyone's view. 

"Tommy, Phil!" Techno cried out, trying to see through the smoke. Turning on his heel, he froze as he met glowing red eyes barely visible through the smoke. He gritted his teeth, pulling out his sword, "Dream." 

The smoke cleared, and as he was running towards Dream, he came to a halt still a small distance away. His sword fell out of his hand, hitting the ground. "Tommy...?"

He had risen back up, his eyes glowing red. He clutched his throbbing head and let out a pained shout, falling to his knees. All sounds were drowned out apart from the agonizingly loud white noise, only getting louder with every passing second. The fire had spread to the rest of his body, setting him aflame from the inside. 

He wanted to scream, but no sound came out. Everything hurts, it hurts, so much.

"Hey! What's going on?!" A familiar voice cut through the white noise, but he assumed it'd just be his imagination. It's happened before, it's only his mind trying to comfort him. "Tommy?! What's wrong with him?! Tom─" the voice cut off, and the white noise became even louder, he swore he'd lose his hearing at any second, or his head would explode. 

Then, it... stopped. The white noise stopped, and all he could hear was a faint, much quieter ringing sound as he slowly peeled his eyes open. At first his vision was blurry, he could hardly make out a thing, but... in the distance, he could make out Dream, and the flame ignited again. 

A sudden rush of adrenaline rushed through him, it became overwhelming quickly. He slowly rose to his feet, but was almost knocked back down as his bones popped out of place, and snapped from what he could tell. Crackles and pops filled his ears, the bones in his body rearranging and causing immense pain, until it all simply stopped and went numb.

"Tommy!" Tubbo cried out, breaking away from Phil he ran towards his friend. Whom he wouldn't have recognized if he didn't witness the transformation with his own eyes, from human to wolf. 

Tommy stared silently, before turning his attention to Dream, and something within him snapped. He snarled, and ran towards him.

"Dream!" Drawing his sword, George stood in front of Dream, but was only lightly moved out of the way by him. He waited for Tommy to reach him, cracking his neck and knuckles. But as the boy came closer, potions of weakness and slowness were thrown at him.

"I'm sorry about this, Tommy." Then, from the corner of his eye, he saw Techno aim his crossbow loaded with a firework, and pulled the trigger.


	10. Blind, but I'm Still Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy has always been a stubborn "brat", as many people know, he doesn't like things changing, nor owing favours, especially when it comes to Dream; who he certainly does not have the best relationship with.
> 
> Song; All The King's Horses by Karmina

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this one feels a bit rushed, kept misclicking and ended up having to rewrite a lot of stuff,,, why doesn't ao3 autosave
> 
> Tommy swears, like, once

Everything slipped through his fingers like sand, no matter how much he tried, he couldn't contain all of it. He would have to let some things go whether he liked to or not, and he didn't. He said goodbye to so many things, his discs, Wilbur, Tubbo and even L'manberg, and said hello to unexpected things such as Technoblade and Phil. It was a strange change of pace, he was forced to flee his only remaining home, Logsted, but he's left that in the past now, as well. 

He is certain everything happens for a reason; right? Not that he believes in destiny or anything, but everything has to happen for a reason. However, with that in mind, he does not deserve everything that has happened to him in the past few days, weeks even. In the end, it all leads to Dream one way or another, his only "good" factor was how he saved him from that werewolf, sacrificing himself although Tommy knew he couldn't die, not to some oversized mangy mutt. 

Ever since then, he... had doubts, about his relationship with Dream. They had always been on opposing sides, but thinking back to the night where it all went wrong, he'd been arguing with Dream about... well, he can't be certain, it'd been almost a week ago. He can't remember what they were arguing about, but he was frustrated, yelling and shouting at Dream for whatever reason, and then the werewolf came out of nowhere and the rest is history. 

But, Dream had saved him, although he didn't quite get away unscathed, that wasn't Dream's fault. 

He would never admit it out loud, but he was questioning whether they were truly enemies or not, Tubbo had executed him, not Dream. He wouldn't call them friends, far, far from it, but they weren't exactly enemies anymore, were they? He... honestly couldn't tell and it confused him, a lot. 

He definitely cannot say the same now, though. All doubts faded and turned into anger when he found Dream with his sword to Phil's neck, threatening him, and in that moment, he couldn't control himself. Phil was one of the few people he had left, he was his Father and while he had been missing for... some time, they both cared for each other deeply. He acted without thinking, though, needing to express his pent-up frustration one way or another; and he chose violence.

He can't exactly remember every detail from the fight, he couldn't focus properly, he couldn't think straight. He became overwhelmed by his emotions, a terrible habit of his, but what he can recall is the sensation of his long, sharp claws digging into skin, and cutting across. They were stained in blood. 

Then, he knows he blacked out or something along those lines, it's hazy. He hit the ground, hard, and likely broke a bone or two. Everything fell silent, but Tubbo's voice broke through, but he could hardly make it out, unable to tell if his mind was pulling tricks on him again. Afterwards, it might have just been him, but there'd been this fog or something, it smelt like smoke, and he could hardly see anything through it. 

He felt a lot of pain hit him all at once, his mind blanked out again, he remembers Dream's face, and then Technoblade's rocket launcher aimed directly at him before... before...

In that moment, before he could recall anything else, he awoke. Slowly blinking his eyes open, it took a few seconds for his vision to adjust before he recognized his surroundings; back at Ranboo's house, in a bed, like last time. He couldn't see his whole surroundings, so he tried sitting up, only to immediately regret it as he was hit with a sudden headache that knocked him back down. He held his head, closing his eyes as he experienced everything spinning around him, it almost made him sick. 

"─ommy," a voice says, and he reluctantly opens his eyes. The world continues to spin for a few more moments before settling down and clearing up, and in front of him are a few familiar people, but the person he focuses on is right in front of him, who happened to be;

"T-Tubbo?" 

Before he could get another word out, Tubbo threw his arms around him and pulled him into a tight embrace, so suffocating he thought his bones would pop out of place. He couldn't even return the hug, his arms pinned to his sides. His body subconsciously tensed up, and his breath hitched.

They hadn't had a proper conversation since he arrived here, and admittedly it's his own fault. He'd been avoiding him the entire time, things just... felt out of place, and he couldn't find the right words to say. Time just flew by so quick, and now here they were. Just as he tried to speak, Tubbo pulled away, gripping his shoulders. 

"Are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?" He asked with a shaky voice, "you... what happened to you, I mean..." he trailed off, blinking away tears. Before he could continue, Tommy pulled him in for another hug, and could feel Tubbo's body relax in his embrace. 

"I'm fine, just a little lightheaded," Tommy answered quietly, melting into the moment, he wishes it could last for longer, resting his head on his shoulder and relaxing in silence. But he remembered the others awkwardly standing around, and he hesitantly released Tubbo, opening his eyes to meet the gazes of everyone. There was Phil, Technoblade, Ghostbur, and Dream. Tilting his head back, he spotted George and Sapnap up top. 

"You're awake," Phil said, his voice audibly a little strained, but he wore a relieved smile. "How are you feeling? Do you need anything, food, water?" He asked, taking a step forward, but froze when Tommy's eyes moved to Dream, and he glared. His smile drooped, and he took a step back, and let out a deep sigh, lowering his head. "We... need to talk, Tommy, and please, don't try to argue before you know what's going on─"

"Why is he here?" 

Technoblade sighed, "Tommy," he said, then narrowed his eyes as he received no response. "Tommy," he repeated more sternly, and grumbling under his breath, Tommy tore his eyes away and looked to Technoblade, his expression softening somewhat. 

Technoblade shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "As Phil was explaining, we came to an agreement with Dream, and I know how that sounds─"

"Technoblade! Dream, he, he's horrible! Why would you ever, what were you thinking?!" 

"Tommy!" 

Tommy shut his mouth. Technoblade's harsh glare and loud voice had startled him, even though he's done nothing wrong. He couldn't speak, and lowered his head in shame, muttering an almost silent apology. 

Technoblade's glare faded, and he glanced at Phil standing beside him, before back at Tommy and approached him. "Tommy, we came to an agreement because we had no other choice, if we didn't..." he trailed off, peering over his shoulder where Dream stood casually. "Well, we wouldn't be able to help you."

Tommy stared at Dream, and balled his hands into fists, but released them only seconds later as his shoulders fell. He stared at his feet, a thousand different thoughts running through his head. He wonders what Tubbo is thinking right now, caught in the midst of this without the faintest idea what's going on. He raised his head to meet his friend's eyes, his own had changed quite a bit. 

They stared at each other in silence, and Tommy tried to read Tubbo's thoughts by his expression, but all he knew was that he was confused. "What..." he trailed off, hesitating to continue. "Can someone please explain to me what is going on? I, I can hardly believe what I witnessed with my own two eyes, it's... as far as I know, I watched Tommy..." he couldn't get the words out, it didn't make any sense. 

Technoblade and Phil exchanged hesitant looks, appearing to ask each other who should tell him first. Though, it was Ghostbur who chose to speak up, he'd been there to witness it, after all. Even so, it isn't exactly a... logical situation, if Tommy were to say it himself, Tubbo wouldn't believe him for a second. 

"Well... you know what werewolves are, right, Tubbo?" Ghostbur asked, and Tubbo stared at him dead-on, with the most dumbfounded look on his face, struggling to grasp the words that just escaped his mouth.

"Do I ─ what does that have to with this, Ghostbur?! Are, are you saying Tommy is a werewolf now, is that it?!" He shrieked, taking a step towards Ghostbur before Tommy reached out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. 

"Tubbo..." 

Tubbo focused on his expression, trying to decipher whether he was joking or not, this had to be a joke. But he couldn't rule out what he'd seen with his own two eyes. He looked Tommy up and down; the eyes which were barely even blue anymore, mixed with amber, and weird pupils, there were the sharp teeth and nails that resembled claws belonging to an animal, too. Heck, it could even explain the sudden growth spurt. Lastly, what he'd witnessed... it all tied together, forming one big picture.

He yanked his hand away and stumbled back, phasing through Ghostbur and bumping into Phil who stopped him from falling. "You, no... tell me you're joking! Werewolves aren't real, you know that! They're just, an old fairy tale..." he said, voice growing quieter as he slowly turned his head and looked at Phil, who frowned. "Why... but, then that wolf in Logsted..." 

Tommy cleared his throat, "that, uh, wasn't a wolf," he clarified, unable to meet his eyes. "It attacked me, I... barely got out alive, then Technoblade found me and I stayed at his house before I came to L'manberg..." he explained, almost mumbling the last parts. Looking away, he subconsciously curled himself into a ball. 

Tubbo struggled to wrap his head around the new information, quickly double-checking with everyone that this wasn't a prank or something, before turning to Tommy and sat down on the bed beside him. "I... I see now, so that's what really happened..." he said, staring down at his hands on his lap, he bit his lip. He wanted to say more, but he didn't get the opportunity to.

"The full moon is tomorrow night," Phil spoke up, and suddenly, the air became tense. "We have the ingredients to make the antidote, but we have two problems; one, now we need to make enough to cure two people," he stated, glaring at Dream from the corner of his eyes. He then cleared his throat, shifting his attention back to Tommy. "Secondly, we can't actually use it until the full moon, so we can't prevent it from happening," his serious expression fell, and he uncrossed his arms.

Tommy's head shot up in alert, and he jumped to his feet, desperately looking between everyone for answers. "W-what?" He choked out, "what do you mean... you can't prevent it," his voice trembled, a nervous smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He silently begged for them to continue, mention a 'but', a light of hope through this bitter darkness. However, no one did, their expressions grim. 

Tommy's strength was snatched from his body, and he almost collapsed to his knees if it weren't for Tubbo supporting him, and he leaned into his touch. 

"I'm sorry, Tommy," Phil whispered, voice dripping with guilt. "It's the only way."

It's the only way. They have no other option, after all this time he spent worrying about creating the antidote before the full moon and avoiding a catastrophe, none of it mattered in the first place. He'd already lost control over himself how many times now? Far too many, and tomorrow night is only going to be even worse. At the realization, he quickly pushed Tubbo away, but perhaps used a little bit too much of his strength, shoving him into the wall. 

"T-Tubbo, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's fine, Tommy," he replied, and he showed a warm smile directed at Tommy, somehow, even after everything they've been through up to this point. It's ridiculous, all of this is ridiculous and if he hadn't ran to L'manberg in the first place, they wouldn't be in such a disastrous situation. Things would have been so much easier if he just listened and stayed put, but he didn't. 

No one said a word, there were so many things to think about, but in the end they only had one option. 

As Tommy went over his own thoughts, he paled as he recalled Phil's words. "P-Phil, you... you said you need to cure two people, what do you mean? W-who else?" He asked, terrified to hear the answer. 

Dream cleared his throat, and all eyes went to him. It took Tommy a couple of seconds to figure it out, but when he did, he swore his heart stopped. 

Memories suddenly reappeared without warning, remembering when Dream had attempted to fight the werewolf, he hardly stood a chance as it ripped apart his netherite armor, and then sank its teeth right into his arm. Right, he'd been bitten. Tommy had completely forgotten that happened, until now. He's not the only one cursed, and it couldn't have been anyone else, literally anyone else and things wouldn't be... like this.

He felt sick to his stomach, though he didn't experience it alone, Tubbo appeared absolutely horrified at the reveal, whereas everyone else already knew. He needed to sit back down, head in his hands, he needed to calm down. He closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath, pushing away his surroundings, it was already silent anyways. 

After a few moments of recollecting himself, he opened his eyes and nothing had changed. He can't escape this, how did time pass so quickly? He only has two more days left, and tomorrow night... is where it all ends. He can't stop time, he can't avoid it any longer as much as he wishes to. 

"Techno and I will start working on the antidote, we'll have it ready in time," Phil stated. He then took a step closer, but after staring into Tommy's eyes, something in his mind changed and he stepped back. "We'll check up on you two soon, if you need us, we'll just be in my house, it's just next door," he said with a nod. 

Tommy opened his mouth to speak it, but closed it and nodded. Phil gave him a slight smile, before leaving the house, quietly telling Techno to follow. Before he walked out of the door, he sent one warning glare Dream's way, who without a doubt must be smiling behind that mask. Then, he and Techno left, not bothering to close the door behind them; as if sending a message to Dream, telling him and his "goons" to follow in their lead.

Dream definitely noticed that, staring silently at the door, before standing up-right and looking up to where George and Sapnap had been, silently requested them to come down and they did exactly that. They hadn't even said a word or made a noise during the entire conversation, they'd just been there, listening in. 

"Well, Tommy," Dream spoke up, gaining Tommy's full attention, without Phil and Technoblade here, he could express his hatred to the masked man without consequences. "I suppose I'll see you later, then," he said, a not-so-hidden amused undertone to his words. He was about to leave, and it would've been better to let him, but Tommy had one last thing to say.

"Hey, Dream."

Dream stopped where he stood, humming, he turned his head. He honestly wasn't expecting Tommy to get up, eyes turning a dark shade of red, and his claws were out. Tubbo had to hold him back. "You're a horrible, fucked up person, you know that?" He snarled as Dream just watched. "You're no friend of mine, you threatened Phil!" He shook Tubbo off of him, coming a little too close to Dream, he resisted the urge to just, do something to wipe that smile off his face. 

So, he raised his hand, and smacked off his mask. As it dropped to the ground, he almost cracked a smile. "After tomorrow night, I want you gone, I never want to see your face here again!" He snapped. 

"Tommy!" Tubbo ran up to him, and pulled him back just as Sapnap drew his sword. Though, Sapnap was blocked by Dream extending out his arm, and picked up his mask, putting it back on. 

"Well, Tommy," he said, speaking calmly. He still hadn't intimidated him in the slightest, because even now with his new abilities and increased strength, there's a massive gap of power between the two of them. He quietly chuckled, adjusting his mask. "You won't be seen around these parts, either. You're exiled, remember?" 

Right.

Tubbo had welcomed him back with opens arms, said he regrets exiling him, but if Tubbo hadn't thought he'd died and was so worried about him, he wouldn't have so easily granted him access to L'manberg again. He stumbled back, only making room for Tubbo to step forward, standing surprisingly close despite the fear he displayed mere seconds ago. 

"I've welcomed Tommy back into L'manberg, I see him as a citizen of our nation again. His exile period has come to an end, that's what I have declared," Tubbo stated, sounding uncharacteristically serious. "As the President of L'manberg and the one who ordered his exile, it is in my power to do that, is it not?' 

Dream didn't respond, instead he looked away, no longer smiling. "Alright... so be it, he can stay, for now, I have other things to worry about anyways." 

To Tommy's shock, Dream... accepted it, just like that, and it even surprised Tubbo, although he tried not to show it and remain serious. No arguing, no shouting... none of that, instead he chose to give in, but only for now. Without a doubt things won't remain this way, Tommy knows that, he's learned what type of person Dream is, but he can't help but relish in the moment of victory for as long as it lasts. 

"I'll see you, Tommy, later," Dream said, snapping Tommy out of his thoughts. He wasn't afraid of him anymore, he had Tubbo back on his side, his closest friend. "Oh, but," Dream stepped closer, peering over Tubbo's shoulder at him. "If you even think about changing our arrangements..." 

He didn't need to continue to get the point across. Within a split second, Tommy's confidence disappeared into thin air, and he thought back to when Dream held his sword to Phil's neck, so close that if he moved it in the slightest... it'd be the end. He hates his guts, but he's learned not to act recklessly, last time he did... he almost lost everything.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it, then," and with that, Dream finally took his leave.

Tommy couldn't help but mutter 'good riddance' under his breath, watching as George and Sapnap followed his lead and he wondered, what reason they had to follow him. He doesn't know much about their "relationship", but Dream is manipulative and just... horrible, yet they stick by his side even now, so they must be as bad as him. 

He hates him, he hates him, he hates him so, so much and yet he always gets away with everything. Why, why does he always win, it frustrates him so much he just wants him to go away, anywhere, away from him, away from Tubbo and just everyone and everything.

"Tommy? Are you okay?" Tubbo asked, and the atmosphere changed completely just upon hearing his soft, concerned voice again. And in that moment, Tommy realizes truly for the first time he's actually home again. It's not just L'manberg he's returned to, but Tubbo, the one person he cares about the most, who he almost lost, is back beside him again, and it's just the two of them like it'd always been. He's back, he's really back. 

"Y-yeah, I just..." his voice trembled as he spoke, laughing nervously he raked a hand through his hair. It'd been getting quite long, he'd tried tying it into a small ponytail, or braiding some of it. He'd started resembling Phil more, but not anymore, not anymore... 

He jumped when Tubbo wrapped his arms around him, and rested his head on his shoulder. Tommy relaxed into his embrace, wishing that time would just stop and allow them to stay like this for however long they desired. Just the two of them. 

"It'll be okay, we'll get through this, alright? You're stubborn, nothing can break you down," Tubbo assured him, pulling back and holding him by his shoulders, he put on a smile. 

Tommy weakly smiled back, only just now realizing how much he missed him; he was touch-starved. How long had it been since they were last this close? He'd lost concept of time, honestly, time flew by too quick he struggled to keep up. He placed a hand on his shoulder, and pulled him in for one last, quick hug. "Yeah... yeah. We'll get through this."

He can only hope he's right. 

Outside of the house, Sapnap and George silently trailed behind Dream. Neither of them spoke a word, making their way through L'manberg silently as passersby watched on curiously. George wondered what they all thought, did they see Dream as a threat, someone to be afraid of? Were they questioning his reasons for being here, were they worrying over it? What do they see him as? Because surely, it isn't a friend. 

"Dream," George spoke up, looking away from the citizens minding their own business and to his friend. After a delay, he hummed in response, and George furrowed his brows. "We need to talk, I'm serious." 

There was another pause of silence, but Dream kept on walking. He waited for him to stop, and answer him, but as he waited that time didn't come, and soon, he grew impatient.

"Dream!" So, he grabbed Dream's shoulder, causing him to halt and turn, but as they were walking on a narrow slab pathway quite high up, they both accidentally fell over the edge. Sapnap tried saving them, but not knowing which one to rescue, he didn't act in time, watching as they both neared the ground. 

They wouldn't die, but the impact would hurt, though it never came, Dream thankfully poured a bucket of water that stopped the fall damage. As soon as the water was scouped back up, George grabbed him by his shoulders again. "We _need_ to talk, you said we were going to do this peacefully."

There was a pause, before Dream forced out a chuckle, or a scoff. "Yeah, well," he didn't get to finish, George had enough. 

"Kidnapping someone, and threatening them isn't exactly peaceful, Dream!" He argued, and was shoved back by Dream a bit too roughly, he tripped and hit the ground. As he tried to get up, Dream loomed over him, and crouched down. 

"Doing it _peacefully_ wouldn't work, George, and the full moon is tomorrow. I didn't take it by force, so what are you complaining about?" He snarled, and the way he came off as annoyed, as if he had reason to blame George, made something snap. He raised his hand, and smacked his mask. 

He then raised to his feet, hands balled into fists. "We couldn't have figured this out _together?!_ We haven't talked about this at all, Sapnap and I are trying to help you but you aren't listening! You're just trying to do this all on your own, what happened to the three of us working together, huh?! We were a team at one point, weren't we?!" He shouted.

Rubbing his cheek, Dream grabbed his mask and slowly stood up. 

"But then L'manberg happened, the wars, the discs, no one can ever catch a break! You're causing new problems left, right and centre at every given opportunity and I can't figure out why!" Dream didn't dare meet his gaze, his head lowered and hair falling into his face, he held his mask in his hand. He didn't even attempt to defend himself. 

"Why...?" 

Dream slowly raised his head, and his mask slipped from his hand, hitting the ground. "G...George?" 

"Why am I, what?" George murmured as he wiped his eyes, at first he thought it started raining, but soon discovered it was his own tears. He was crying, and he couldn't understand why, why now of all times, when for once he's trying to be serious and make a distance. The tears kept falling, they wouldn't stop. "Why am I..." he looked up, and accidentally locked eyes. 

Time must have froze in place. His heart stopped, he couldn't utter a word or make a sound, all he could do was stare into Dream's eyes and oh, how they had changed from a beautiful green that reminded him of the grassy meadows they would run across as the wind tried to push them back, and they only pushed forward. They were so different now, barely resembling how they once were. 

A small crack ran down his heart, and time returned to normal. Dream took half a step closer, and George immediately jumped back. "Stay back," he warned, voice low and lathered with venom. "Don't you dare come any closer." This isn't Dream, not... the Dream he once knew as a friend, someone he wanted to travel the world with, that Dream, if he even existed in the first place, is long gone, left in the past.

"George! Dream!" Sapnap called out as he began making his way down to where they were. "Are you guys okay?!"

George turned to Dream, and glared. "Good luck with tomorrow night, you won't be needing my help," he mumbled, turning away just as Sapnap made it to them, and he walked straight past him. 

"George, hey ─ George? Where are you going? Hey!" George didn't respond, and Sapnap only watched as he left the two of them alone. "D-Dream? Hey, what happened? I was gone for like, a minute!" He asked, turning to his other friend, who's mask was missing, and was laying on the floor with a small crack through it. 

"Dream...?"


	11. Fade until I'm gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end is coming near, and no one is prepared.
> 
> Song; Far From Home by Sam Tinnesz

Tomorrow night is only hours away. Things are going their way, asides from the whole Dream situation they unfortunately can't seem to do much about, they have the antidote in the making and hopefully it'll be ready by the time tomorrow night comes. Phil assured Tommy things will be okay, that they can get through this, but he can see straight through him. His lies don't work on him anymore, his attempts at comforting him fall flat. 

He could try to convince himself it'll all be over tomorrow. The cure will work, and he'll be back to normal, right? But there's no way of ensuring that, anything could go wrong on a full moon. He'd already injured people, Tubbo specifically and he'd lost himself far too many times, and that was due to his own lack of control over his temper. It's only going to get a lot worse when he loses complete control over his thoughts, his actions, everything.

A monster. He's become a monster, there's no other way to put it. 

Curled up into a ball on his bed, sharp claws digging into his arms subconsciously, he'd been like that for a while now, left alone with his thoughts as he contemplates what's to come. He made Phil promise that no matter what happens, that he protects Tubbo at any and all costs. He has no idea what will go down in just a matter of hours, what he could do to those around him, there were so, so many vulnerable people he could accidentally injure. Or, better yet, he himself could get gravely injured, but at least he had the ability to heal. 

It's only the late afternoon, he still has time, and he's wasting it away in his bed, hidden away from prying eyes. No one can come near, they could get risk getting hurt, he isn't sure he can trust himself anymore. The moon has yet to arose, and when it does it won't even be a full moon, and yet he can still sense its lurking presence. He's become alert to so many things, he's constantly on edge and the smallest things has started to drive him insane.

He's never been a person to like loud noises, he's always had a bit of a temper whether he admitted to it or not, and he's a little sensitive to his surroundings... but never like this. This is far from a gift, a blessing, it's a horrible curse that's been plagued upon him and he can't wait to get rid of it, rip this hideous beast from his body and separate it and him before they blend together and it becomes too late. 

Happy thoughts, he's supposed to think happy thoughts, but under these circumstances that's practically impossible. He needs somebody by his side, to comfort him, tell him everything will be alright even if it's a pitiful lie, it's melodic to his ears and brings a soothing presence. But he had asked to be alone, and although hesitant, Tubbo abided and left. Now it's too late to seek out his company, he's probably busy, being President and all...

What happened to them, why did they split apart when they used to be so, so close? Brothers, joined at the hip one point in time, but that was oh so long and he can only dream of those days, where they had each other and were against the world. He wants that back so desperately, to see his smile and hear his laugh as they joke around and carelessly mess around without a care in the world. When they still looked forward to tomorrow, had hope in their hearts and plenty of lives to spare.

Now, here they are, each with one remaining life, one with so much more left to lose, and one with nothing more than the clothes on his back and a heavy heart. They'd grown apart, and it's impossible to tell what'll happen next. 

Will they grow back together, somewha repair their broken friendship as it holds on by its last strands? 

Or is it already too late, and it's time that they move on. Going their own separate ways as it's the best thing they can do.

But even if that turns out to be the case, he refuses. He absolutely refuses, despite being exiled by him and among other things that pushed them apart, he... can't leave his side, whether he wants to or not, he physically cannot. They've been together for as long as he can remember, he can't leave him, not yet. 

But if he doesn't, he could get hurt.

"Tommy?" A familiar voice spoke, and it broke him out of his thoughts. Raising his head he looked towards the door and to his surprise, he saw Ranboo. But then again, it is his house that he's currently occupying, hopefully they talked with him about that before leaving him here. Though, judging from the look on his face, that doesn't seem to be the case, and peeking out behind him was Tubbo. "Uh, how are you feeling?" He asked, and clearly, Tubbo asked Ranboo to check up on him, yet came along anyways. 

Tommy unwraveled himself, not quite sure what to say. Was he okay? He honestly didn't know. He stared down at his claws, stained with dry blood, and his skin had already healed. He hid his claws under his sleeves, throwing his legs over the edge. "Yeah, I'm okay," he answered, staring at his feet. "Uh, sorry for taking up space, I didn't really have a choice."

"N-no, it's okay! I'm glad you're okay!" Ranboo said, and approached. He noticed Tommy flinch, and stopped a short distance away. He glanced at Tubbo who stayed standing at the door, locking eyes with Tommy. "Oh, uh..." Ranboo awkwardly looked between the two, caught up in a situation he didn't quite understand.

"So, what... happened, if you don't mind me asking?" He asked, turning to Tommy after an awkward pause and complete silence. He doesn't know, no one told him. If he keeps it a secret and tomorrow night works according to plan, he can pretend it never happened with only a handful of witnesses. He could do that. 

Instead of answering, he stared into Tubbo's eyes and tried to guess what was running through his head, but couldn't. He lowered his head, running a hand through his hair. He needs a shower, and perhaps a haircut. 

He pondered over the question, once, twice. 

Would it really hurt to tell the harsh, bitter truth? It hasn't completely sank in yet, his mind is still grasping at straws. Perhaps sharing his burden and his thoughts would help with that.

He ran out of time, the opportunity to let everything out pulled out from under his feet with the following words; "you don't have to tell me, it's okay. You're feeling better now, right?" Ranboo failed to hide the confusion, the curiosity and worry in his voice. 

Tommy shook his head and pushed himself to his feet, his joints ached and as soon as his body left the warm comfort of the bed, he wanted to fall back into it. He glanced at Ranboo and at first, assumed he had gotten shorter, but it was the over way around, and surely Ranboo picked up on that. 

He's changed, and he's already made a long, dreaded list in his head of exactly how he's no longer human. "Ranboo..." his eyelids were heavy and his body weighed him down, he just wanted to sleep, but if he did, then tomorrow will come too quick and he'll have no time to prepare himself. Not that there is much he can do. 

"Tommy," Ranboo straightened up, his body stiffening as Tommy inched closer, slumping over, and dark eyes piercing through him. 

The tense atmosphere weighed down on them, Tommy found it almost suffocating. He'd been cooped up in the house for so long he needed a breath of fresh air, but he feared the outside world, coming in contact with those he had yet to reunite with. What would they think? What would they do? 

"I'm... I'm not human anymore, Ranboo," the words came out dry, weak, and cracked a little. As he shakily breathed in, his chest rised and fear ran down his spine. He felt god awful, but he couldn't physically express it, he appeared fine, great, actually. Though it felt like he hadn't eaten or slept in far too long, as if on the verge of collapsing and if he closed his eyes, they wouldn't open again. On the other hand, appearance wise it was the exact opposite, no dark circles under his eyes, his weak, puny stature had improved immensely, he obtained so much more power than he could have ever wanted.

Ranboo gulped, "I... I can see that." He looked anywhere else but his eyes, the eyes that were hardly even blue anymore. "I... how did..." he trailed off, his expression softening and pity, coming through. It left a bitter taste in Tommy's mouth, and he turned his head. "Tommy." 

He balled his hands into fists, gritting his teeth. He turned back to Ranboo, stepping closer his eyes glowed red and he bared his teeth. "A lot has happened! A hell of a lot, and, and I'm sick of it! What did I do to deserve this, huh, tell me!" He shouted. Tears welled in his eyes, and he stumbled back, his breath hitching. "T-tell me... what did I do...?" 

Ranboo glanced at Tubbo, who watched on with wide eyes as Tommy began to curl in on himself again. He murmured the words; "what did I do, what did I do," repeatedly, his hands clutching his head. 

Tubbo recalled the energetic boy he once knew, and how nothing could get him down. No matter what fought against him, when he was kicked to the ground, he always got back up despite the odds against him. What had happened to the brave, stubborn boy who looked on the bright side of things, was always there to keep him safe and assure him that he'd stay by his side and protect him. They had each other's backs, but that became a thing of the past. 

Now, it was his turn to have his back. 

Tubbo took one step forward, then paused. Tommy continued to fall apart before his very eyes, losing more and more of his former, happy self until eventually there was nothing left of him. 

He moved closer until he could come no closer, and wrapped his arms around him tightly. "You'll get through this, Tommy, I'm sure of it. I'll be right by your side and," he didn't get to finish his sentence, as strong arms shoved him away and into Ranboo. 

"Tommy! Why did you─" he cut himself off seeing the horrified look on Tommy's face, staring directly at him. 

"Tubbo, no! Promise me come tomorrow night, you, you'll..." Tommy demanded as he approached, but trailed off and his eyes wandered around the house. "You'll stay right here, with Ranboo, you got it?" 

Tubbo's brows furrowed, and he straightened his posture. "What? No! Tommy, you'll need my support, I, I can't just let you do it alone!" He argued, but he'd be lying through his teeth if he said look Tommy sent him didn't intimidate him in the slightest, and made him back out of the conversation. Tommy had definitely gotten a lot more scary, as he's come to realize.

Tommy placed a hand on Tubbo's shoulder, his claws unintentionally digging into his skin. Tubbo flinched, but Tommy's words made him freeze. 

"Tubbo, listen to me closely, you are staying here. You are not going to come anywhere near me tomorrow night, you understand?" 

Something about the way he sounded, even if he had good intentions, genuinely scared Tubbo. His claws that had dug into his shoulder just enough to draw blood pulled back, and Tommy shifted his attention to Ranboo with the same, cold gaze. He didn't even have to say a word, Ranboo nodded his head in agreement. 

Though, the moment Tommy moved away, "Tommy." 

His words were only ignored as Tommy turned his back to them, and sluggishly returned to the bed which belonged to Ranboo, and collaping onto it, curled himself into a ball hidden under the blanket. 

A few seconds passed before Tubbo made a move, "Tommy, are you really planning on spending the rest of the day inside here? In bed?" He asked, his voice calm despite blood trickling down the back of his shoulderblades. When he received no response, he narrowed his eyes slightly, "Tommy," he repeated, in an annoyed tone. 

"What else is there to do?" 

Tubbo approached, the floorboards creaking beneath his feet and Ranboo reached out a hand to stop him, but missed. Upon reaching the bed, Tubbo gripped the covers, and ripped it off. Tommy attempted to yank it back, but instead his claws accidentally shred the blanket and the remains hit the floor. 

"Tommy! Apologize!"

Tommy scoffed, his back facing Tubbo. A few seconds later he mumbled, "sorry... I'll get you a new one."

"Oh, uh," Ranboo stammered with his words, scratching his head. "It's fine, really, don't worry about it," he assured, but was caught off guard by Tubbo trying ( and failing ) to drag Tommy out of the bed, he could hardly get him to budge. He visibly gave it his all, but it seemed he would more likely pull a muscle before succeeding, and Tommy would finally move out of pity. 

He seriously did not want to leave the bed, it basically belonged to him now. Tubbo stayed determined, however. 

Holding onto Tommy with a firm grip, he gave it one last attempt. "You need to get some fresh air, Tommy! You can't stay sulking in Ranboo's house forever! Where is he supposed to sleep?!" He insisted, using the last of his strength to try and lift him up off the bed, but Tommy moved on his own. Which Tubbo could did anticipated, and they both fell to the floor with a loud thud. 

Ranboo chuckled nervously, cautious to come any closer, he stared down at the two lying on his floor, Tubbo still attached to Tommy's back. "Are... are you two alright?" He asked, a question without a definite answer. 

Tommy grumbled to himself as he rose to his feet, not looking too pleased, he grabbed Tubbo and pryed him off his back. "There, I'm up, happy now?" He growled, lightly glaring at him. Tubbo hadn't given up just yet, grabbing onto his arm he headed to the front door, but wasn't going anywhere as Tommy kept his feet planted on the floor. 

He huffed. "Come on! I need to show you around L'manberg! There are a bunch of new things you haven't seen!" He tugged on his arm with both hands, but it did nothing.

Tommy rolled his eyes, "Ranboo already showed me everything." 

Ranboo's heart jumped a beat when Tubbo looked to him, and he smiled sheepishly, backing away. "I, uh..." 

Tubbo averted his attention back to Tommy, refusing to let go. "Well then, I can show you to people! Don't you wanna see everyone again? Like, uh, Fundy, Niki, and... who else..." he trailed off, and in the brief moment that his grip loosened, Tommy escaped. "Hey!" 

"No! You listen here!" He snapped, "I don't want to see anyone, because they never came to visit me! I was alone in exile, and for what? They could have at least checked up on me, you could have! Why didn't you?! You, of all people!" He gestured wildly with his hands, then paced back and forth. 

"Tommy, I," is all Tommy heard before he shut his eyes, and gritted his teeth. When he opened them and the frustration had left his system, his face paled at a the sight of a hole in the wall. He looked down at his hands, and gulped. He reluctantly turned to Tubbo and Ranboo, who were shocked speechless. 

He closed his hands and let out a shaky breath. "Are you really sure it's not too late?" He whispered. He continued before anyone else could intervene, "please, just... leave me alone, I don't want to hurt you." 

Tubbo tried to speak, but when he stepped closer Ranboo placed a hand on his shoulder. "I... think it's better if we give him some time alone," he mumbled. 

Tubbo considered his words, but he walked over to Tommy. He stopped and left a small distance between them, staring at him with a pained expression he thought over his next words carefully. "Tommy... you're not alone anymore, you need to realize that," he said softly, reaching out his hand, but Tommy slapped it away. 

He saw pain in his eyes, and the words that left his mouth physically pained him. "Please, just... leave me alone. I... need some time to think." Unable to look him in the eyes, Tommy stared down at his feet. 

Tubbo slowly moved his hand back, and pushed down the growing frustration crawling up. He bit back the words he desperately wanted to let out, thoughts running through his mind driving him crazy. "Fine," he said bitterly, lowering his head. A few moments passed before he spoke again, and he raised his head to stare at Tommy in his eyes. "But please, if you need me... tell me, we're brothers, right?" A hopeful smile crossed his lips, and Tommy's heart sank. 

His smile remained as he slowly backed away, and Tommy's mind screamed at him to say something, not to let him go. Not to let him leave like everybody else, he'll be alone again. 

He quickly reached out and grabbed onto his sleeve, "please," he begged, everthing crashing down around him, "don't leave." 

With a light tug, Tubbo came back to him, and they hugged each other. A few tears slipped from Tommy's eyes, he clung to him as if never wanting to let go. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Tommy repeated, beginning to tremble. 

A strained chuckle escaped Tubbo's lips, "I'm the one who should be sorry, if it weren't for me you wouldn't be in this mess, I shouldn't have exiled you, I-I'm sorry." He clung onto him tighter, burying his head into his chest. 

Silence followed his words, but the heavy, tense atmosphere had faded away. 

Tommy hummed, his hand rested on Tubbo's back. "We... have a lot of catching up to do."

"Yeah, we do."

L'manberg has changed so much, from a small nation of only a handful of people, and it just continued adapting and growing from then on. Now, it had become a home for many people, a lovely community, but it still wasn't without it's conflict and chaos that brought it to its current state. Without war, it would have never gotten this far, and it only survived because of the people who fought for it. 

A strong community who refuse to back down. 

George and Sapnap were never a part of that group, they had their own home, but along the way their sight became blurred and they ended up going down different paths. There's no way to go back now, they can only keep moving forward and hope for the best, but in their current situation that isn't exactly easy. The full moon is tomorrow night, and by that time, they'll be long gone. 

Or so, that's the plan.

In retrospect, they hadn't discussed it much. George walked off after his outburst with Dream, and soon enough Sapnap chased him down and refused to leave without some kind of explanation, and he got exactly that. George couldn't hold it in any longer, the frustration, all of his emotions buried deep within him came bursting out in explosions, neither Sapnap or Dream had seen him in such a distressed state. Typically, he's someone who doesn't show much emotion, he's reclusive, for so long he only had Sapnap and Dream to depend on.

So what is he supposed to do when their friendship starts crumbling apart, who is he supposed to depend on then? 

He wasn't thinking properly when he rambled on, hardly taking a second to breathe as he let Sapnap in on everything, every little thing he's had hidden away. He had believed foolishly that they would get through this, somehow, their strong bond would remain intact through everything and they'll make it to the end together. Unfortunately, that didn't appear to be the case any longer. 

"Dream, he, he isn't who he used to be! I thought, I thought I could save him or something, bring him back, but he's too far gone and I've had enough of his selfish attitude!"

What else did he have left to lose? Practically nothing. And by the end of it, once he got all the screaming and shouting out, forcing Sapnap to endure all of it as he too, like everything he'd worked hard for, collapsed before his very eyes. Reduced to nothing more than an empty shell, releasing all of his emotions, tears ran down his face, his throat sore from all the yelling that was bound to bring some attention. 

"I don't know... why... why I'm crying. He, he doesn't care... he doesn't care about us, he's just using us, I'm sure of it..." 

His mind worked against him even when he ran out of tears to cry, forcing him to recall their happy memories together. He hated it, he despised it, the man he once called his friend who had changed into something far worse. A tyrant, a ruler, he's caused so many problems and never once apologized and before, George couldn't care less, he turned a blind eye. He had no interest in L'manberg or it's citizens, he, Dream and Sapnap were at war with them once, after all. 

He didn't care about what happened to them, but what he did care about, the one thing in the world that took that number one spot, had been Dream. His close friend, someone he assumed would always be by his side no matter what, they could always depend on each other and that would never, ever change. They had each other's backs... but soon enough, reality came crashing down and he witnessed all of it, even if he hadn't noticed what it meant at first. 

He befriended Quackity and Karl, he practically started a new life with them and Sapnap in Mexican L'manberg, El Rapids now... but Sapnap just had to drag him back into this, bringing Dream of all people to his home, just when he found the chance to flee from him. It's too late now, he's trapped, but he's desperately trying to claw his way out. 

"He, he doesn't care about us, Sapnap..." he sobbed, but he had no more tears left. "I'm leaving, I... I don't want to stay here anymore, he can help himself, he doesn't need us. He can deal with this full moon whatever by himself," wiping his eyes, he turned to leave, but Sapnap took his hand. 

He stood still as George let it all out, not saying a word until now. "George, he needs us, he needs our help," he says, and those words drill through George's head. 

George pulled away before he could hear another word, already sick of his voice. "No! I don't care, you can stay with him, but I am not doing this anymore! I don't care what happens to him!"

"You don't mean that."

"Try me!" 

He had absolutely nothing left to lose, or to gain. Without them, he had nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide and especially nobody else he can seek comfort from. He only had him and Dream, it'd been like that for literal years... but it turns out, that had all been for nothing. 

"George? You're kidding, George!"

Or at least, that's what he had believed. Whirling around to face the familiar voice, in the distance he spotted both Quackity and Karl, both whom he hadn't seen since this whole mess began, almost a week ago. He forgot they'd be wondering where he ran off to, missing for one day or even two could be easily passed off for someone like him, however, almost an entire week? There were bound to be suspicions. 

Perhaps he should have paid him a visit, but his mind wasn't focused on that. Instead, just hearing his voice and seeing him again... he started crying again. 

"There you are! Do you know how much trouble you're in?!" Quackity raised his voice as he approached, understandably not the happiest he's been. "You can't just say you'll show up to help us build, and then not show up for the next week! And you too, Sapnap! What the hell?! Did you two decide to ditch us or something, and move somewhere else or some shit?!" 

He was annoyed, and for good reason. As he glanced between Sapnap and George, and his eyes landed on George, his following words got caught in his throat. His expression softened into confusion, and he stammered on his words, speechless. "You... George, what the hell? You okay?" He asked, all hints of frustration leaving his voice, replaced with concern. 

He still remembers when Quackity blamed him for Schlatt losing the election, yelling at him for sleeping in. Not too long ago they were far from friends and anything remotely similar, they hardly knew each other, and yet, they'd both grown so close over time, building Mexican L'manberg together, their new home. 

He still had a place where he belongs. 

"Y-yeah, I'm..." he choked out, wiping his tears. "I'm... okay, Quackity, I'm okay."


	12. Venom in my veins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At long last the full moon arrives, and claims its victims in cold blood.
> 
> Song; Bloodstream by Neoni

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for coming this far! Next chapter is the last one, the story is coming to an end

"Are you sure this'll work?" Techno asked in a hushed voice, watching as the potions brew. They barely had enough for two, and because it had to be split in two the potions were only half full. They only had two and no more to spare, a failed attempt would spell game over.

Phil carefully took the potions, placing them in his inventory. He turned to Techno, who didn't have his mask for once. "We..." he trailed off, looking away, he stared at the potion in his hand. "There's no telling what'll happen, but I need you to look out for your brother, Techno," he said, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't going to be easy." 

"I know that."

He slowly removed his hand, and it fell to his side. He stared at the potion before it disappeared from his had, entering his inventory. "Well... now, all we have to do is wait, I suppose." 

Time was ticking down, and Tommy wasn't prepared for it to stop. In the blink of an eye it had became night, then morning, and soon enough it would become the afternoon and lastly, night once again, and the full moon would take its place in the sky. Hanging over them, taunting them, and it chilled Tommy down to his core. He'd been on high alert the whole time, unable to calm down no matter how much people tried to help. 

There was nothing he could do, time was steadily running out and eventually his time would be up. Everyone; Tubbo, Ghostbur, Phil and Techno assured him that he would get through this, he was _strong,_ but even he started to doubt that. 

Despite Tubbo's best efforts, he preferred to stay inside, away from anyone else. Appearently asides from the people who saw him, not many people knew he was actually back, and... he didn't really care. They didn't visit him during exile, only a few, and he had already interacted with those people briefly. Fundy, Ranboo, Niki, Quackity... and those were pretty much everyone. 

"It's too dangerous," he told Tubbo when he asked him for the third time that morning. He recalled almost injuring Quackity if it weren't for Ranboo holding him back, and the amount of times it almost happened with Tubbo were far too many, and yet he insisted on staying by his side, and would only leave if he came with him. So they came to a standstil, with Tubbo hardly leaving Tommy's side. Though he wouldn't admit it, having him actually made things a little better. He reminded him to eat, because he kept spacing out, and they talked about... things. 

Ranboo had just left, only briefly making an appearance with Niki, out of all people, to check up on him. He'd only told Ranboo he wasn't human anymore, exactly what he was, however, he left that part out, but he might have already figured it out on his own.

Niki didn't know, either, and she seemed a bit hesitant as she greeted him and Tubbo, and asked how they both were, but mostly directed at Tommy. She tried to hide her surprise when she saw his eyes, and while he hadn't even seen it himself, he knew they had changed. She clearly wanted to question him on it, but chose not to. As she talked to Tubbo, her gaze kept flickering back to his eyes, and she went a little pale. 

Ranboo handed Tommy some food, bread, cooked chicken, that he could share with Tubbo before leaving with Niki. Tommy gave Tubbo all the bread although he said he didn't need it, he was only interested in the chicken and immediately dug in, sinking his large, sharp teeth into the meat and tore it apart with his claws. "What?" He said, muffled with his mouth full as he turned to Tubbo caught staring. He swallowed, "is there something in my teeth?" 

Tubbo awkwardly cleared his throat, looking away. 

Tommy took out some chicken from his inventory, it appeared in his hand and he held it out, "want some?" 

He cracked a sheepish smile and shook his head, "no thanks." 

Tommy shrugged, placing the food back into his inventory, "suit yourself." 

A silence fell over them, they sat by each other not exchanging a word. Tommy continued to feast, as Tubbo spared quick glances his way, studying his new details with curiosity. He wasn't as sneaky as he thought, as he locked eyes with Tommy and he flinched. 

Putting his chicken away, Tommy turned to him, sitting on his bed and rested his head on his palm. "Do my eyes look _that_ weird?" He asked, raising a brow. "Seriously, Niki wouldn't stop staring at them, too."

Tubbo was taken back by the question, unsure how to react. "Uh... they don't look _weird,_ " he trailed off as he looked away, but the pause only made Tommy more suspicious. He scrambled his brain for the right describing word, and when it came to mind he blurted it out without thinking. "They're cool!" 

Apparently, he made the right choice. Tommy's narrowed eyes softened, and he seemed pleasantly surprised as he leaned back. "Really?" He asked, even his voice had gotten more gentle, and silently, Tubbo released a relieved sigh. 

He went along with it, nodding. "Yeah! They've changed since last time, they used to be blue _and_ amber, or gold... but since then, they're mostly amber now with barely any blue," he described, and Tommy listened closely to every word. "Your pupils are different, too, not really... human-like, the best way I could describe it; they're pretty much wolf eyes." 

Tommy's brows furrowed and he slightly tilted his head. "Wolf eyes...?" He repeated, almost confused. Tubbo nodded, not giving anymore detail as Tommy tried to remember exactly how wolf eyes look. His eyes widened when a vivid image popped into his head, and he snapped his head back to Tubbo. "They really look like that?!" 

Tubbo thought twice on his words before giving a timid nod, wearing a small smile. "Yeah... it kind of gives away the whole "no longer human" thing, though," he replied, scratching his neck, "that's why Niki kept staring." 

No longer human... but soon, in just a couple of hours, though he's not sure the exact number, that'll change. Being this beast for barely a week has been enough, he's ready to return to a normal human being without any of these heightened abilities or anything of the sort. He'd much rather be a boring, regular person. He just has to go through one more horrid night. 

"Huh," Tommy quietly said, falling back onto his bed. He stared at the ceiling with his hands on his chest, just a few more hours to go. Was he afraid? Absolutely, but at the same time it meant that this would all be over and he wouldn't have to worry about... this, anymore. He can trust Phil and Techno, they know what they're doing better than anyone else.

Tubbo slowly laid down beside him, glancing at him before looking to the ceiling. Ranboo had a nice house. They're... friends, right? They didn't know each other for long before the whole incident happened, which he'd dragged him into. Only one of them were punished, but Ranboo visited him in exile, and they acted like friends.

"Hey... Tommy?" Tubbo spoke up, shifting in the bed he sat up. 

"Yeah...?" 

"Can I... ask you about what happened in exile?" 

Tommy didn't react to the question, silently staring up at the ceiling. He quietly sighed as he recalled everything that happened, right from the very beginning when Dream built the wall, and forced Tubbo to exile him, up until the end when the werewolf attacked. It's strange to think only a week had passed since then, and before that, how long had it been since he last saw Tubbo? He can't be sure. "Nothing... nothing good, Tubbo," his voice came out hushed, his chest rising as he held his breath.

His hands gripped the covers of the bed, as familiar voices rang throughout his heard so loud, so clear. _"I'm not the one who exiled you, Tommy, Tubbo is. I'm your friend, aren't I?"_

They aren't friends, and they never were. Tubbo's his friend and he always has been, but peer-pressure pushed him into exiling him. He hadn't done in on his own accord, no, he'd been doubting that but now he knew for certain. They were friends, brothers, and that would never change. "I'm... just glad to be back." 

Tubbo smiled, "me too. I'm... sorry, for exiling you, I thought..." he trailed off, and before he could finish, Tommy sat up. He met his gaze, and returned the smile that started to fade. 

"It's... it's fine, I'm back now so... it's alright," he assured. 

Tubbo's smile returned, and he nodded. As he opened his mouth to speak, the door opened to reveal Phil, Techno and Ranboo who appeared a little out of place and puzzled. Phil and Techno stared directly at Tommy, and his smile fell as he sluggishly got off the bed. Tubbo reached out his hand and held onto his wrist, but Tommy easily pulled away and walked towards Phil and Techno. 

He came to a stop, his back turned to Tubbo he tensed up. "I think you should stay here, so you can be safe," he advised in a low voice.

"Tommy, wait," Tubbo pleaded as he stood up. "Tommy!" He ran over as they walked outside, but before he could follow, the door closed. He grabbed the doorhandle and used all his strength to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Tommy! Come on, open the door!" He begged, banging on the door. He received no response. 

Tommy stared up at the darkening sound as he trailed behind Phil and Techno. He'd lost track of time, strange, he thought he still had a few more hours left to spare. There weren't many people wandering about, but there were a few and as they passed through, he tried to hide himself with Phil and Techno being taller than him. Once this is over and done, what will happen? Could things really go back to the way they used to be, as if exile never happened? Or, perhaps, he was just getting his hopes up.

L'manberg seemed to be doing well, at least, that's what Tubbo had told him. He made a good President after all, he knew he would. The nation was in good hands, and that's all he could want. After all it's been through and rebuilt itself from the rubble, it deserves a great President who cares about it, and that it received. Though, by chance, he cared about it a bit too much...

Phil and Techno led him out of L'manberg, to avoid anyone accidentally getting involved. Just outside a forest they stood, as the strong wind blew his hair into his face he inhaled a sharp breath. He stared up at the sky and instantly regretted it. It'd gotten dark and cloudy, making it seem like a storm was about to form. What a coincidence that would be, could it possibly block the moon enough for him to be saved? The sight filled him with dread. The moon would rise soon.

He lowered his head and to his surprise, he saw Ghostbur. Though, it made him settle, and he was glad to see a familiar face. "What are you doing here? You're a ghost, you can't do anything," he asked in a bitter tone, and Ghostbur floated over to him. Right from the beginning, he'd been by his side. 

"I'm here for support," he answered truthfully, in an uncharacteristically serious tone. Tommy looked away with narrowed eyes, his arms crossed over his chest as he shivered slightly. 

Phil checked their surroundings and before he could question it, he answered him; "I was meant to bring the other antidote to Sapnap or George, but I haven't seen either of them or Dream anywhere," there was concern laced in his voice. He looked to Techno, then Ghostbur and reluctantly brought out one of the antidotes, handing it to him. "Ghostbur, I need you to find Sapnap or George, tell them what this is and give it to them." 

Ghostbur hesitated before taking the potion, and shifted his gaze to Tommy. "Now, Ghostbur, it's important," Phil ordered, and so, Ghostbur did as he was told and turned away, leaving the trio to their own. Tommy watched as he left, and for some reason, his lack of presence made him a little more anxious. He couldn't even do anything, he's a ghost, but at least that meant he can't get hurt. Phil, and Techno along with everyone else, on the other hand...

"Tommy," Techno spoke up, causing Tommy to flinch and raise his head to meet his gaze. "Are you ready?" He asked, and strangely, the question annoyed him. No, frankly, he isn't ready and at no point would he be. He let out a shaky breath and stared up at the sky once last time, and to his horror as he watched a cloud go by, the moon was already in the sky. 

"Just..." he said with a shaky voice, "get it over with already." He looked to Phil who held the antidote pleadingly, as the cloud moved away from the moon and it shined directly down on him. A sharp pain shot through his body and he let out a pained cry as he hugged himself, and his body began to tremble. He remembers this, the surge of adrenaline rushing through him, he can't think. He can't do anything, the pain is too much. 

He can hear his own bones breaking, snapping out of place and it's too much pain for his body to register. He let out another cry of pain as he gripped his aching head and fell to his knees. "What are you waiting for!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. 

"I-I can't! I have to wait until the moon is at it's highest!" Phil yelled back, his voice breaking as he had to witness his son change before his very eyes. His hand holding the antidote shaking, his feet were planted on the ground but he had the dying urge to run to him, and console him through the agonizing pain but he could not. He didn't have a choice, this is what they had to do. Even Techno was visibly struggling not to do something, anything, but unable to tear his eyes away. 

It went on for a minute, or a little over, the dreadful shouts and sounds of pain before it all faded away and white noise, then silence filled Tommy's head before everything went to black. 

Phil's breath hitched, and he gripped the potion tight as he stared dead-on and the wolf with bright, golden fur standing before him. At first, it didn't make a noise and stood completely still, but then it raised its head, and bared its teeth. 

"Techno," he started, snapping said piglin out of his thoughts. He averted his full focus to the wolf, and Techno tightly gripped the helm of his sword, holding it out in front of him as the wolf growled. Then, it took one, two steps forward, and lunged. 

"Tommy!" 

Techno raised his sword as the lunged at him, but the sudden voice distracted him and as a result, a loud whimper was heard. He quickly jumped back but it'd been too late, he'd accidentally injured the wolf who still stood tall with blood running down it's front right leg and the same blood stained the tip of his sword. 

"Techno!" Phil cried out in alarm, and Techno almost dropped his sword as thousands of panicked thoughts filled his head. 

"It was an accident!" He answered, before whirling his head towards the direction of the voice and so had Phil. They were both left astonished at what, or more so who, they spotted running towards them. "Tubbo! What, why are you here?! How did you even get out?!" He yelled, and his eyes landed on another familiar somebody, Ranboo, following behind him. "You aren't supposed to be here!" 

They had this under control, even if it were just the two of them. The bleeding cut on the wolf's leg healed, he forgot it did that. Right, they were in more danger than he was, they were afraid to even leave the smallest scratch on him but the wolf, however, acted mercilessly with violence. As long as he didn't sink his teeth in anybody, they would be fine. 

However, things became more complicated with the two new arrivals. "Techno, Phil? What's going on here?!" Ranboo questioned as he came to a halt beside Tubbo, looking around in a panic, his eyes landed on the wolf and he jumped back with a gasp. His fearful thoughts were pushed aside as he noticed something unusual, wolf's fur was always pure white like snow, and yet strangely enough, this one had bright blonde. As different questions and thoughts ran through his mind, his heart sank at a shocking realization. "Wait, Tubbo you said... T-Tommy...?"

The wolf glanced between them, seemingly confused on whom to attack. Not only that, but he felt threatened, backed into a corner with far more opponents outnumbering him. There's a saying on what happens to an animal when it's backed into a cage with no other option. 

"Tommy, it's me!" Tubbo foolishly approached the wolf with hardly any caution, attempting to communicate. 

Techno saw how the wolf turned to him, and for a split second he believed his reckless plan could genuinely work, but then he noticed his mouth curling back into a snarl, and the harsh reality settled in. "Tubbo, don't! Stay back!" He warned, but it'd been too late. He sprinted to them without a second them as the wolf launched, and time progressed in slow motion. 

Blood strewn across the ground beneath their feet, staining a patch of grass deep red. Tubbo gasped and threw his hands over his mouth, Techno stood in front of him breathing heavily with his sword extended out, the tip of the blade dripping with blood. "T-Techno, you...." 

"W-wait, so if that's Tommy..." Ranboo stuttered, his eyes fixated on the wolf who stumbled on his feet, and when he raised his head, showing the ghastly, deep cut across his left eye, Techno's sword clattered to the ground. Blood trickled down the wolf's face and onto the grass with a quiet "tap", his claws digging into the dirt. 

"Shit, Techno..." Phil muttered, and no one dared make a move. They all watched the wolf, awaiting his next move. 

Tubbo pushed past Techno who extended out his hand and grabbed onto his shoulder, just barely keeping him back. "Tommy!" But as he cried out, taking a step forward he escaped Techno's hold. "Tommy," he begged, as everything around them was dead silent. "Please, I know you're in there, can't you hear me?" He asked, taking another step forward, but Techno reached forward again and placed his hand on Tubbo's shoulder, only for it to be swatted away. "Tommy! Please!" 

The wolf backed away slowly, and as he turned, he briefly locked eyes with Phil who had started approaching. Phil held the potion high, prepared to throw it down but at the last moment he stopped himself, as the wolf made a sharp turn and ran from him, faster than anybody could catch up to. "Tommy!"

Without thinking twice, or even once, Tubbo bolted after the wolf. They had no other choice but to follow, but before chasing after them, Phil looked to Ranboo who stood frozen in shock. "Tommy, was that Tommy? He, Techno..." he murmured to himself, the situation becoming overwhelming, he raised his head as a hand sat on his shoulder. He looked up to see Phil. 

"There's... a lot to explain, Ranboo, but you need to stay here, where it's safe," he advised, and Ranboo could only nod. After ensuring that Ranboo would stay put, Phil ran after the others and left Ranboo by himself. 

Ranboo stared down at his hands, and quietly chuckled. "Y-yeah, there's... there's a lot to explain," he mumbled, running his hand through his hair, he spotted the patches of blood on the ground, and closing his eyes, he moved his hands over his face and took in a long, deep breath as he slowly sunk to the ground. 

"Tommy! Tommy, where are you?!" Tubbo cried out as he ran as fast as his legs would take him, checking his surroundings he forgot to look ahead of him and tripped over a log. He crashed into the ground and rolled, stopping when he bumped into a tree. He held the knee he landed on, hissing in pain. Holding onto the tree for support he attempted to stand, but the moment he applied pressure to his leg, he cried out and lost his balance, falling back to the ground. He shuffled against the tree, and rolled up his pants to his injured knee. 

He heard rustling in the bushes and raised his head. "Tommy?" He attempted to stand once more, balancing on one leg against the tree. He watched as something crept out of the bushes in the darkness, illumimated by the moonlight, and it wasn't Tommy.

When Phil finally caught up, Techno already had the wolf cornered against a tree. Even though his other injury had healed fine, his eye still appeared to be injured. "Techno," Phil spoke up, a little out of breath. 

Techno jumped out of his skin and Phil saw fear in his eyes, weakly gripping his sword still stained with blood. Tommy's blood. Phil took the antidote out of his inventory and held it in his hand, and carefully, he made his way towards the wolf, taking in a deep breath. "Come on, Tommy, just let me help you," he whispered, holding the antidote up.

The wolf's eyes flickered to the antidote, and to his surprise, the wolf appeared to relax. Phil let out a relieved sigh, but chose to act cautiously as he took the last remaining steps closer, preparing himself to throw the potion. "Alright..." he mumbled, holding the antidote up higher, he was about to throw it. 

An ear-piercing, bloodcurdling scream echoed throughout the land. Phil almost dropped the antidote with how quickly he turned in the direction, "Tubbo?!" 

The wolf bolted straight past him and he stumbled back. He exchanged glances with Techno before they both chased after the wolf. "Tubbo!!" 

Tubbo was cornered by an army of mobs, he was armed but couldn't stand with his injured leg, let alone run. He had managed to shoot a few of them down, but soon ran out of arrows and they just kept coming. He held his sword out in front of him as the mobs came closer, and he couldn't do anything to defend himself. He closed his eyes, waiting for it to end. 

The sound of rapid footsteps caused him to open his eyes, but instead of Phil or Techno, "T-Tommy?!" The wolf appeared before him, and lunged at the mobs. The wolf took them each down one by one, but they swarmed the area and the two of them remained trapped in a corner, heavily outnumbered. Tubbo reached out his hand, "To─"

"Tommy!" Phil called out, running into the scene and accompanied by Techno. They were outnumbered, but the odds weren't so bad anymore. Phil ran over and helped Tubbo up, moving his arm over his shoulder. "Are you alright, Tubbo?" He asked softly, watching from the corner of his eye as Techno fought against the mobs. 

Tubbo nodded, "I hurt my leg, and I can't walk on it," he answered. 

Phil turned to Techno, "Techno!" He shouted, and the moment he looked his way and they locked eyes, Phil threw him the antidote and he caught it. They nodded and Techno faced the wolf, taking in a deep breath his eyes followed the beast move from mob to mob, tearing each of them down with ease and incredible speed. 

He raised the antidote, "Tommy!" And yelled out his brother's name. Half of him assumed it wouldn't work, but the wolf skidded to a halt and stared directly at him, he couldn't help but crack a grin. Though the relief was short-lived, and it all happened so fast. First, a skeleton shot an arrow that pierced the wolf's leg, exactly where Techno had cut before. The wolf changed its direction, continuing to fight without weighing the options. "Tommy, no!" 

As the wolf focused on attacking other mobs, it paid no attention to the not one, but two creepers sneaking up on him. Another arrow to the side of his body, and the wolf noticed the terrible position he was in, and attempted to flee. One creeper exploded, and then the second. 

Techno had taken a small amount of the damage, he barely made it in time. On his knees, he held the wolf close, and already splashed the potion. The wolf laid limp in his arms, bleeding out. "T-Tommy...?" Tubbo whispered, hopping over on one leg. He covered his mouth with his hands and fell to his knees, getting teary-eyed. "Tommy, hey... hey, wake up. Why isn't he waking up?" 

"Wake up!"

The full moon hung heavy in the dark, starry-lit night sky. Laughter filled the air, belonging to Quackity as he walked alongside his friends Karl, Sapnap and George, who rolled their eyes at his ridiculous joke. 

"Oh, come on guys, it was funny!" He insisted, and Karl playfully hit him on the shoulder. 

George let out a small chuckle, "no, it wasn't."

"Then why are you laughing, huh?" Quackity pressed, causing George to laugh a little more and look away. 

"Get away from me, you stink."

"I, what? _Excuse_ me─" Quackity's words cut off as something caught his attention, and he lifted his head to see a familiar figure standing on the path, sluggishly coming towards them and seemingly limping. "Wait, is that... Dream?" He asked, slowing to a stop. It was somewhat hard to tell in the darkness and poor lighting, but as the figure came closer, it became clear. 

"Dream?" Sapnap said quietly, taking one step closer before running over to Dream, who immediately collapsed into his arms, his mask falling off. His movement froze as Sapnap tried to lift him up by himself, but Quackity and Karl stayed frozen in place, hesitant to move from their spot. "Hey, Dream, Dream!"

A terrifying realization dawned on George, and he raised his head to the sky. His mouth fell open at the sight of the full moon coming out from behind the clouds and oh, how could he possibly forget. He lowered his head and his heart dropped to the bottom of his chest, Dream began moving again and dug his claws into Sapnap's arm. 

Oh, oh no.

"Sapnap!" George cried, his heart beat accelerating. "Get away from him! Now!" He demanded, his thoughts shouting at him to run over and do something, but his feet were glued to the ground. 

It appears Sapnap forgot, as well. "What, why?" He replied in confusion, and in the brief moment when he glanced over his shoulder, danger striked. From the corner of his eye, Dream raised his head and his eyes were glowing red. He had no time to react as Dream raised his hand with razor sharp claws, and his life flashed before his eyes. 

Karl grabbed him by the back of his shirt, and in the very last second yanked him back and into his arms. Dream's claws tore through his shirt, leaving five deep slashes that came so close to skin. Far too close. 

"What the hell, man?!" Karl yelled, holding a shaken up Sapnap close. Quackity drew his axe, whilst George could only stand in place, heard lodged in his throat and unable to speak as Dream stumbled to his feet and gripped his head. Pain, he was in pain, and a hell of a lot of it. 

George's eyes flickered up at the full moon, then back at Dream. Phil, where was Phil? He and Techno were supposed to have the antidotes, so why is Dream here? He's supposed to be with them, getting cured. Not... losing control like this, breaking apart and struggling to hold himself together. This isn't good, this isn't good at all. 

Shit, crap.

A thought crossed his mind and he shifted his attention to Quackity and Karl, neither having the slightest idea of context. They watched on with horror, fear and confusion. They needed to get out of here, before things get worse. "Q-Quackity, Karl! You guys need to run, now!" He demanded, snapping them out of their thoughts. "Now!"

They both looked at him as if he was the craziest man in the world.

"What?!" Karl exclaimed.

"You're coming with us, then!" Quackity insisted, and George wanted nothing more than to yell at him and force him to listen for once instead of acting stubborn. 

They didn't understand half of the danger they were in. "Just, go! You have to get out of here!" George raised his voice as a last attempt, and as he walked over, he could hardly take one step forward. From the corner of his eye, time seemingly slowed as he locked eyes with Dream and then, he charged at him.

"George!"

His body acted on instinct, he drew his sword and when he came to, Dream had stopped in front of him. It took him a second to notice the sword stabbing his abdomen, and his hands began to tremble, but he still held onto the sword impaling his friend. "I... Dream..." he slowly lifted his gaze to meet his eyes. 

"George! He's healing!" 

The moonlight illuminated his face, and his dark red eyes were glowing. His body refused to move an inch, he couldn't even tear his eyes away and he hadn't seen the claws until it hit him. Then, Dream pulled out the sword, and used it against him. The next moment, he opened his eyes and he found himself at a different location in L'manberg. 

He'd died, and he didn't even have any time to react. No thoughts running through his head, absolutely nothing as the sword came down on him. He raised a hand to his cheek, right, his claws leave scars. 

He could search for Techno or Phil, but what if they've chosen not to help him? That wouldn't be a surprise. The night had only recently begun and there's no way they can possibly survive the whole night. They're doomed, they're actually screwed and without that antidote, they have no other choice. He took out his axe, his breath shaky, he would have to fight. They might outnumber him, but as it was just shown, they didn't stand much of a chance. 

"George! There you are!" The last voice he expected to hear suddenly called out to him, belonging to Ghostbur who hurriedly floated over. 

"Not now, Wilbur! I've got to─" he silenced himself when he saw what Ghostbur held in his hand. The antidote. 

He ran as fast as he could, sprinting back to his friends in hopes he wouldn't be too late. Soon, he saw them in the distance and he almost tripped over his own feet, startled by what he saw. Dream had already transformed into a wolf and had Sapnap pinned to the ground, who only held him back by his sword that Dream bit and pressed down on. 

Quackity's sleeve was torn and his arm had been scratched, blood running down. "I just watched that man turn into a wolf!" He exclaimed, his voice going high-pitched with terror. 

Karl brought out his sword, and his next move was obvious. 

He wasn't going to make it in time, he had no other choice. He had to throw the potion, and pray on whatever gods there were that he wouldn't miss. 

"Karl, no!"


	13. A new day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the sun rises on a new day, a problem passes.

The sounds of birds chirping filled his ears, and he blinked open his eyes. He slowly sat up and immediately the world spun around him. He held a hand to his head and closed his eyes, a faint ringing noise fading out in his mind. 

"Tommy?"

He hesitantly opened his eyes, and standing before him, "T-Tubbo?" His closest friend, his brother. Something seemed... off, for some reason. He looked down at his hands, and to his surprise his claws, they were gone. He felt his teeth and didn't cut his finger, they weren't as sharp anymore. His recollection of last night was hazy, it gave him a light headache, but he pieced it together. "Tubbo, did... did it work?"

Tubbo wore a wide smile that gave it all away, and threw his arms over Tommy. "Your eyes are back to normal! It, it really did work!" He exclaimed, and it took a few seconds for everything to register in Tommy's mind. He had been constantly worrying over the day, fearing he'd hurt someone and could never forgive himself, but that day has already passed and... everything seemed fine. Tubbo didn't have a scratch on him, but when he stepped back, he limped. 

Tommy's face paled, and Tubbo picked up on it. "I'm fine! I tripped when I was running, should've looked where I was going," he explained, scratching his neck. "It doesn't hurt that much, just a little bruised," he assured. 

Tommy's glanced down at the floor, they were in Ranboo's home again, but yet no sign of the Enderman-hybrid. "Were you running... from me?" 

Tubbo's smile fell, but snapped out of it and shook his head. "N-no! I was running _towards_ you!" He corrected, and Tommy lifted his head to meet his gaze. "You didn't hurt anybody, but... you did get hurt a little yourself... you ended up passing out, actually," he noted, voice going quiet. A frown crossed his face and Tommy tilted his head, then again looked down at his hands, and wrists. He saw no scars, or healing injuries, and felt no pain whatsoever. 

He looked up at Tubbo again, and raised a hand to his eye. "Techno accidentally cut your eye, and... I think you turned back before it could heal properly," Tubbo noted quietly, words full of guilt. "It's... back to blue, mostly, but it still has a bit of amber and the pupil's a little different," he whispered. 

Perhaps being a man-hungry beast had _one_ advantage, but even so, though he didn't feel too different, a heavy weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He's back to being his old self again, a normal human. There's no ringing in his ears, he looks like himself again, he doesn't have this heightened sense of the outside world anymore, it's silent. It's peaceful, and he's never enjoyed it more. 

His body and mind relaxed, for the first time in days, and he attempted to stand. He almost lost his balance, but Tubbo helped him. "Where's, where's Ranboo?" He asked. The poor guy, he and the vast majority of people had no idea about this situation pulled straight out of a children's fairytale, and he doesn't have to. No one does, it's better left in the past and something to laugh at in the future. 

Tubbo removed his hands from Tommy's shoulders and stepped back, "oh, after he saw you unconscious he freaked, and ran to make some healing potions. I'm not sure where he is now, Phil didn't want to let anyone in before you woke up, but I couldn't resist, I... had to see if you were okay," he explained, and not even a minute later did the door swing open, and there stood Ranboo, carrying multiple potions. 

"Ranboo, what did I say! You're supposed to wait until Tommy is awake─oh," Phil appeared right behind him, too, cutting himself off when his eyes landed on a fully awake Tommy, standing up on his own. A forming smile spread across his face, a look of relief, but before he could greet his son and rejoice, Ranboo rudely interrupted with good spirit. 

"Tommy! How are you feeling? I, brewed these healing potions, are you sure you're alright to be standing?" He rambled, and Tommy had never seen his friend in such a panicked state. Jeez, how bad did he look when he saw him? Because there were quite a few potions in his hands. 

Tommy cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly, "uh, thank you... Ranboo, but I feel fine, seriously, and you'd be able to bring back a corpse with all those! I'm nowhere near dead, I feel fantastic!" He politely declined, pushing them away. 

Ranboo looked down at the potions in his arms, and realized he may have gone a little overboard. "O-oh... yeah, I just thought... nevermind," he mumbled, and the many potions all disapeared into his inventory. He looked Tommy up and down, he really did seem alright, despite the state he saw him in not too long ago, he assumed he'd be sleeping in for a large part of the day. His confusion changed into relief, a smile crossing his face, "right, I'm glad you're okay. And from what I was told, you're... human again, right?" 

Tommy nodded, crossing his hands behind his head with a grin. "You bet I am! Let's just keep it between us, alright?" He responded, and Ranboo nodded. "What time is it, anyways?" He asked, walking over to a window he peered outside. The sun was out, he assumed it to be around early morning or so, which meant people should be awake. He'll have to face them for the first in... a while. He'd grown so distant from everyone, but could he fix that?

There's only one way of finding out. 

Tubbo followed his gaze, and hummed, "it's uh, around six am, I think?" He answered, and Tommy choked on thin air. Six am? He knew it had to be early, but usually he doesn't wake up until hours later, and he's wide awake at six am. 

"Six am?!" He screeched, turning around to face Tubbo, but his eyes landed on Phil instead. His father, who's the reason he's back to normal, he and Techno helped him, but if he had just stayed at his house in the first place... 

Phil came towards him, and as Tommy delved into his thoughts, strong arms pulled him into his embrace, and he relaxed. "I'm so glad you're okay," Phil whispered, and Tommy hadn't realized how he longed for comfort. He didn't have the opportunity to spend much time with him, he missed him dearly. Phil took off his cape, and draped it over Tommy's shoulders like a comfy blanket, and he held it close.

Phil smiled down at him, and ruffled his hair. Because it'd grown out, he started to resemble him more, the same blonde hair and blue...ish eyes. Though as Tommy's eyes panned around the small home, something dawned on him. "Where's Techno?" 

He didn't wait for anyone's response, he dashed out the door and ignored Phil calling out to him. Somehow, he knew exactly where he'd be and walking a short distance from the house, he found him right where he thought he'd be, on his way out, talking with Dream. His heart sank at the sight, and a familiar anger boiled in his stomach when the masked face slowly turned to face him. A fear snapped him out of it, Dream jad been bitten, too, but after whatever happened last night was he also...

"Tommy, you're awake," Techno said, sounding a little surprised. Their eyes met and the words Tommy planned to say left his mind, he and Techno were brothers... although they may not seem like it at times. They've both been through a lot, but during these past week they've been the closest in years, even when they're on opposing sides. He took half a step forward, but he hesitated. He clenched his chest and pursed his lips, attempting to see through Techno's both literal and figurative mask. Out of all everyone, he's grown the most distant from him. 

Just as the words popped back into his mind and he wanted to say them, Tubbo ran out and stopped right behind him. Techno shifted his attention to him, before turning back to Dream who glanced between them. "Well, then, I suppose I'll be on my way, then," he spoke rather casually, it didn't sit right with Tommy. His heart skipped a beat when he felt Dream's eyes on him, "but don't think you've won this, Tommy. As long as you remain in L'manberg, you'll cause more trouble for your President to deal with. I'll return to take him off your hands soon, don't worry, Mr. President," he said and turned on his heel, his back facing them he raised a hand. 

Tommy glanced at Tubbo, who gawked. He has caused plenty of trouble, and without a doubt L'manberg had improved greatly once he was taken out of the equation. Without him, L'manberg had nothing more to worry about, they no longer had to fret about his existence and possible mishaps he'd drag others into. Back in the Arctic, with Techno and Phil... sure, he disliked it at first and wanted to leave, but he actually found it... nice, and a suitable place to live. Or, he could build a home of his own nearby. 

"Hey, Techno," he spoke up after Dream had taken his leave, and approached Techno. 

"I'll be leaving, too. You won't have to worry about me bothering you anytime soon, as long as you don't cause me any trouble, I'll stay in retirement far away from here," he stated, and his words unintentionally cut through Tommy like a knife. 

Just like that, he planned on leaving again. His hand fell to his side, and he lowered his head to hide the clear look of disappointment. He wouldn't want to keep him around, he'd just be a nuisance like he is to everyone else. Had Techno even enjoyed his company, their short meet-up which he wishes hadn't been so stressful, and lasted longer? 

Perhaps not.

"Oh, but Tommy," he reluctantly raised his head at his name. "If you need me, you'll know where to find me," he clarified, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. 

Tommy's eyes widened in disbelief and his face instantly lit up, grinning from ear-to-ear. "I'll see you soon, big man!" He raised his voice, unable to contain his excitement, and Techno laughed. 

"Right, right, don't call me that," he said, but he wouldn't stop smiling. He decided it was time to take his leave, and so he did just that, with one more final goodbye, he warned Tommy not to tell anyone else the coordinates of his house, and waved farewell. 

Tommy waved goodbye, and talked as if he wanted the whole country to hear him. "Bye Techno! I'll come visit you soon!" He called out, despite Techno explicitly stating that he was only meant to come over for emergencies, or something important, not for a cup of tea and chat. At least that's what he told him, but he knew it wasn't completely out of the question and even if so, that wouldn't stop him. They weren't going to have another massive emergency in a long time, or so he hopes. 

With Techno out of sight, Tommy and Tubbo stood by themselves and things were... pleasant. Not a single thing to be concerned about, nothing more to do but hang out like the good old days, just the two of them. Tommy slung an arm over Tubbo's shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts and cackled.

"Guess it's you and me against the world again, Mr. President." 

Tubbo chuckles, "please, just call me by my name."

"Sure thing, Mr. President Tubbo," Tommy laughs, and so does Tubbo, rolling his eyes. Staring up at the clear skies as the new day begins, he sighs and drapes an arm over Tommy's shoulder. 

"It's good to have you back again, Vice President," he smiles, and for a brief moment, it catches Tommy off guard. Who reaches up, and ruffles his already messy hair. 

"That's _Mr._ Vice President to you!" 

"Okay, okay, just stop messing up my hair! Tommy!" 

Their laughter echoed through L'manberg, those who overheard it silently rejoiced at the reunion. The two boys who helped start it all had started to mend their friendship, and it was a sign for better times to come. The nation simply hadn't been the same after Tommy's exile, even if it had been the best for the country, his loud, irreplaceable personality became a part of everyday life, and something was missing without his pranks, and annoying jokes. Things simply weren't the same without him, arguably for better or for worse, they all knew deep down he would return at some point, and the time had finally come.

Dream made his way through L'manberg unnoticed, or so he had thought. Reaching the portal without running into any problems, before he could step through;

"Where do you think you're going?" 

He should have known. Peering over his shoulder, there stood both Sapnap and George a small distance away, and at first he didn't respond, nor did he turn around. He looked away, just two more steps and he'd enter the nether portal. If he did, would they come after him? "I... have some plans to attend to," he answered nonchalantly. 

George narrowed his eyes and Sapnap scoffed. "So what, you're just going to leave after how we helped you?" Sapnap snapped, taking a step forward and Dream's voice stopped him before he could continue. 

"Well, you could come with me," were not the words they were expecting. It left them both speechless, needing to think about it, they exchanged looks. Dream's chuckles broke them out of their thoughts, reverting back to their annoyed looks. 

"What's so funny?" Sapnap questioned, about to come closer when Dream turned around and his body instinctively froze. It took him a moment to notice Dream wasn't staring at either of them, but focused at something far past them. They both spun around, only to see nothing but the entrance back to the community house, and all the other builds. Then, as the silence stretched out and they listened closely, they swore they could barely make out the faint voices of Karl, and Quackity. 

Dream sighed, and regained their attention. "Well," he started, staring over their heads. "Your home's right here, I don't see why you'd leave it," he said, sounding slightly puzzled as he half-shrugged. The voices of Karl and Quackity grew subtly louder, and for a brief moment Sapnap and George glanced behind them, only taking their eyes off Dream for no more than a second. 

George caught Dream stepping through the portal, and he whirled around. "Dream, wait!" He shouted, but he had already gone through, and although he could easily follow him... "he's gone, just like that, you're kidding." 

Sapnap hummed, waving over Quackity and Karl who came sprinting over. "He'll be back, you know."

George stared at the portal, he bawled his hand into a fist and bit his lip. Then looked to Sapnap, confused, frustrated... a whole bundle of emotions tightly locked away inside him. He wasn't sure what to feel. "Yeah, but... who knows who's side we'll be on then."


End file.
